Friday, May 30, 2014

Lesson 7 - Knife Skills Pt. 4

ONIONS, GARLIC, AND SHALLOTS


Undoubtedly the three most common "aromatics" in any cuisine, it's important to know the tricks to quickly break them down into diced and minced sized pieces. There are lots of gadgets out there for dealing with these three, but a simple chef's knife saves clutter and time. Buy some and practice until you can break down one of each down in less than a minute. Don't worry - you'll get there fast.




RECAP for Onions and Shallots

1) (Cut onions in half first) Remove the "tail" leaving the "head" in place

2) Make horizontal cuts beginning at the top, do not cut all the way through the head

3) Make vertical cuts to produce a matrix or crosshatch 

4) Use the rolling method to dice 



RECAP for Garlic

1) Use REAL garlic - smash head open, tail side down to release cloves

2) Using knife or palm, whack the clove and remove the skin

3) Turn clove on side, make a few vertical slits, being careful not to cut through the head

4) Lay flat, make long vertical cuts to produce a crosshatch

5) Use rolling method to dice

6) Use pivot method to further mince if needed


Thursday, May 29, 2014

Lesson 8 - Knife Skills Pt. 5

I know we're spending a lot of time talking about knife skills, but it's crucial that you become comfortable with your knife - it is the primary barrier between fresh and processed food. Confidence with your knife translates to confidence in you kitchen.
It's really important when breaking down food to make sure each pieces is close to the same size. This not only means the pieces will all cook at the same rate (instead of small pieces burning while large pieces are still raw), it also makes a huge difference when it comes to "mouth feel." This holds true not just for veggies, but also for meat, and is particularly important when it comes to roasting veggies. But we'll get into that next time.




RECAP:

1) Veggies (and meat products like chicken tenders, pork loin, etc.) should be broken down to identical size portions if possible. This ensures that every piece is cooked evenly.

2) Use your knife to create a flat surface for your veggie.

3) Don't be afraid to cut veggies in half or discard small pieces that will burn before the rest is cooked.