Do you know how much you don’t know about knives? The answer, definitively, is that you don’t. But not to worry, you have plenty of time before prime vegetable season kicks in to enter into expert territory – with a little help, that is. Self-proclaimed “knife nerds” at The Chopping Block are more than willing to serve up their tips in Knife Skills classes, taught at both the Lincoln Square and Merchandise Mart locations.
Having the right knife, taking good care of it, and knowing how to use it to make the perfect cuts are essential to becoming a sharp-minded chef, especially one who has all of her digits still attached. So get yourself a good knife (with the help of TCB experts, of course), grab a bag of assorted vegetables, and master these simple cuts and motions to incorporate into your next recipe. (Oh, and we’ll give you a few hints on those, too. Don’t worry.)
Knowing how to dice vegetables is like knowing how to drive: once you’ve figured this out, you can get yourself anywhere. Your dicing can differ in size depending on what you’re making – hash browns are going to be bigger than an onion and carrot that are going into a pot pie. It’ll also depend on your personal preference. Nobody puts your dicing in a corner!
Use finely diced vegetables to create a base for the pot pie, soup, risotto, salsa, etc. Use larger diced vegetables (or fruit!) in salads and for roasting purposes. My favorite is a quick roast of diced sweet potatoes, diced onions, and halved brussels sprouts. Throw that on some kale with honey mustard dressing, and you’ve got yourself a dinner.
Saying “I know how to julienne vegetables” is the knife skills equivalent of saying “Répondez s'il vous plaît” when you could just say RSVP or "hit me up if you’re coming."
Julienne – a fancy way of saying slicing thinly – is a great way to prepare peppers, potatoes, and carrots for inclusion in sauces or stir fry. My go-to for practicing julienne cuts are red peppers, mostly because there is not a more refreshing snack than red peppers with a little salt, pepper, and goat cheese. I also love to throw them in Shakshuka, an old favorite I first tried while traveling in Israel that has exploded in popularity here for brunch, dinner, and beyond. Grab the recipe here, and marvel at this spicy, rich dish all made possible by the julienne cut. Pro-tip: carrots go here just as well as red peppers do.
Sounds intimidating, right? But not to worry. It takes longer to actually chiffonade something than it does to spell chiffonade. Try saying that ten times fast. When you chiffonade something, it’s usually an herb that needs to be treated gently because it will bruise if you just go full Hulk and chop it to pieces. (Lookin’ at you, basil.) Rolling it into a tight cylinder, not unlike a cigarette, and slicing it thinly will produce long, beautiful strips of green that provide not only the perfect pop of color on top of any dish, but a nice hit of flavor as well. One of my personal favorites? Chiffonade some basil, toss it in some olive oil, minced garlic, and lemon juice, and stick it in the fridge. Brush this on top of toast for a flavorful partner for salad or marinated feta.
Don’t know how to mince garlic properly? I didn’t either! Intimidated by all of these fancy, French words? Sounds like you need to head over to a Knife Skills class and sharpen up your skills.
Can't wait until your class? Download our free guide: Knife Skills 101 for an at-home tutorial on what you need to know about knives and how to use them. All knives will be 20% off at The Chopping Block in April!