Mastering Knife Skills: Free Virtual Cooking Class from Feed Your Soul

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 Knife Cuts

  • The proper way to hold a chef’s knife is to grasp the blade firmly between the pad of your thumb and the knuckle of your index finger just in front of the bolster, curling your remaining fingers around the bottom of the handle. Resist the temptation to extend your index finger along the spine of your knife, which makes the knife harder to control and fatigues your hand.

  •  When using a chef’s knife, use a “rocking” motion. To do this, keep the tip of the knife on the cutting surface, and rock the rear of the knife up and down while sliding the knife forward. This motion allows for a smoother range of movement and more control when cutting and slicing.

  • Always keep your thumb tucked behind the gently curled fingers of your guide hand. This alone will prevent countless injuries, and also facilitate the use of your knuckles to guide the edge of your knife to its proper position for the next cut.

 Dice:

A dice, or food cut into cubes, is one of the most common cuts used for vegetables and fruits. Cut the food into uniform pieces, which allows the food to cook evenly. Dices are specified by size in many recipes:

·       Large dice is a cube measuring 3/4 inch on a side.

·       Medium dice is a cube measuring 1/2 inch on a side.

·       Small dice is a cube measuring 1/4 inch on a side.

·       Brunoise is a cube measuring 1/8 inch on a side. It is often used as a fine garnish.

Mince:

A mince is a tiny cut, with no specific dimensions, except that it should be smaller than a brunoise. It’s used to promote quick infusion of flavor to a dish. To accomplish a quick mince, cut your product into manageably small slices or segments, then rock the edge of the knife back and forth over the cutting surface while pressing down on the spine of the knife with the palm of your guide hand. Be sure to arch your palm to keep fingertips out of the way of the blade.

Batonnet:

A batonnet is a stick-shaped cut that measures 1/4- by 1/4- by 2 to 2-1/2 inches, commonly used for items like French fries.

Julienne:

A standard julienne is similar to a batonnet but smaller, measuring 1/8- by 1/8- by 2 to 2-1/2 inches. This cut can be used for salads and garnishes.

A fine julienne measures 1/16- by 1/16- by 2 to 2-1/2 inches. This cut is also used for garnishes.

Supreme:

A supreme produces attractive, skinless citrus sections, remove the rind and pith from the outside of the entire fruit with your knife with a curving stroke. Slice off the ends, freeing the sections from all but the side panels of skin in between them. Then make a “v” cut on either side of the section, between the flesh and the skin. Finally, slide the loosened section out. These skinless sections look great in salads or as a garnish.

Information from Chef Stacy Horn and saveur.com

www.saveur.com/tags/knife-skills

 

Citrus Salsa

Yield: 4 servings

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 large orange, segmented and diced

3 Roma tomatoes, concasse and diced

1 tablespoon red onions, small diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon jalapeño, fine diced

2 tablespoon cilantro leaves, mince

1 tablespoon mint leaves, chiffonade

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine the orange, tomatoes, onion, orange zest, garlic, jalapeno pepper, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Toss gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate until chilled and the flavors begin to develop, about 30 minutes.  Fold in cilantro before serving. Enjoy with favorite chips.

 

Shopping List

  • 3 potatoes

  • 1 orange

  • 3 Roma tomatoes

  • 1 red onion, small

  • 1 garlic clove

  • 1 jalapeño

  • 1 bunch cilantro leaves, small

  • 1 bunch mint leaves, small

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Do Before Class

  • Wash all produce and have ready

  • Measure all recipe ingredients

  • Fill saucepan with water and simmer on the stove

  • Fill a medium mixing bowl with water halfway

  • Have tools and equipment within reach

  • Review information and recipes and have questions ready

Equipment List

  • Medium, heavy bottom saucepan

  • Assorted mixing bowls

  • Assorted mixing spoons

  • Measuring spoons and cups

  • Paring knife

  • Chef’s knife

  • Cutting board

  • Microplane or fine grater / zester

 

Stacy Horn