What is an ablative absolute?

When the participle phrase (i.e. The noun + the participle) is independent of the structure of the rest of the sentence. In phrases such as this, both the noun and participle are in the ablative case. Start with translating the noun, then the participle, for example: "With the X having been X-ed". As this construction doesn't go very naturally into English, it is acceptable to start translating it as "having been" but it is important to start moving on to more idiomatic translations, such as; when, after or while. "cena parata, coquus quiescebat"- "When dinner was ready (literally, dinner having been prepared), the cook had a rest"