Mastering the Knife: Slicing Aromatics
A knife is only as effective as your grip on the vegetable. When you control the shape, you control the final texture of your base.
Stability is the foundation of safety.
Always create a flat surface by cutting your aromatic in half first. A rolling vegetable is a dangerous one.
- 8-inch chef's knife
- stable wooden cutting board
- damp towel
What goes in.
- 3Yellow onions
- 1 headGarlic
- 4Shallots
Protect your fingers
Tuck your fingertips inward and use your knuckles as a guide for the blade. The blade should never rise above your knuckles.
The method.
Stabilize the onion
Cut the stem end off but leave the root intact. Slice the onion in half through the root. This keeps the layers from sliding while you work.
Radial slicing
Place the cut side down. Aim your knife tip toward the root, radiating your cuts outward like the spokes of a wheel. This keeps the strips uniform in length.
Slicing garlic
Smash the clove with the flat of the blade to loosen the skin. Slice crosswise, keeping the knife tip on the board to create a rocking motion.
Shallot precision
Because shallots are smaller, use the 'butterfly' method: slice partially through the width without cutting through the root, then slice down the length.
Other turns to take.
The Dice
After radial slicing an onion, make two horizontal cuts into the onion body toward the root, then slice across to create uniform cubes.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a damp paper towel underneath your cutting board to prevent it from sliding.
Keep your knife sharp; a dull blade crushes cell walls rather than slicing them, which releases too much moisture and makes onions weep.
If you need transparently thin slices, use a mandoline, but always use the guard.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why do my onions make me cry?
You are crushing the cell walls instead of slicing them. A razor-sharp knife slices through cells cleanly, keeping the irritating compounds contained.
Should I keep the root on?
When slicing, keep the root intact until the very end. It acts as an anchor that holds the layers together while you make your cuts.
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