Knife Skills: Essential Vegetable Cuts
You do not need a set of expensive knives to improve your preparation. You only need to understand the relationship between the blade and the vegetable to achieve clean, predictable cuts.
Stability is everything.
If your vegetable wobbles on the board, slice a thin piece off one side to create a flat base. Always secure your board with a damp paper towel underneath so it does not slide while you work.
- Chef's knife
- Large wooden or plastic cutting board
- Damp paper towel
What goes in.
- VariousFirm vegetables like carrots, celery, or onions
Protect your fingers
Tuck your fingertips inward to create a claw shape, resting your knuckles against the side of the blade. The blade uses your knuckles as a guide, keeping your fingertips safely out of the path of the edge.
The method.
Stabilize the vegetable
Cut rounded vegetables like potatoes or carrots in half lengthwise to create a flat surface. This prevents the vegetable from rolling under the knife.
The Batonnet
Square off your vegetable by trimming the edges into a rectangle. Slice this into 1/4 inch thick planks, stack them, and slice again to create sticks.
The Dice
Take your batonnet sticks, group them together, and cut across them at equal intervals. This creates uniform cubes that will cook at the same rate in the pan.
The Julienne
For thin, matchstick cuts, slice your vegetable into planks roughly 1/8 inch thick. Stack the planks and slice them into fine strips using a forward-motion sliding cut.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Keep your knife sharp; a dull blade requires more force, which leads to slipping.
Let the weight of the knife do the work; push forward rather than pressing straight down.
Use the tip of the knife for precision tasks and the heel for tougher vegetables.
The ones that keep coming up.
How do I keep my herbs from turning black while chopping?
Use a very sharp knife and move quickly. A dull blade crushes the cell walls rather than slicing through them, which releases chlorophyll and causes oxidation.
How often should I hone my knife?
Hone your knife on a steel every time you pull it out to cook. It aligns the microscopic teeth of the edge, keeping the blade biting into the vegetable rather than sliding over it.
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