When you chop with a chef's knife, your objective is to create uniform-size
pieces that will cook evenly. Here are the most efficient ways to cut some common
foods.
To chop an onion, slice in half vertically, leaving the root end intact.
Place, cut side down, on cutting board. Working from the root end, make several
horizontal cuts through the onion. Turn the onion a quarter, and make even crosswise
cuts through it.
To chop zucchini, begin by cutting off theblossom end. Then cut the
zucchini into 1/4-inch lengthwise strips. Cut off the stem end, leaving 3 or
4 (1/4-inch) strips. To dice zucchini, cut the stack of strips lengthwise down
the middle. Turn the strips sideways, and cut them into large, medium, or small
cubes as desired.
To chop herbs, wash the leaves in cold water, then nip off the stems
and pat dry in paper towels. Start by holding the herbs tightly together on
cutting board with one hand; as you cut, move the fingertips of this hand to
the blade. Use your other hand to hold the blade on the cutting board, rocking
the knife up and down and scraping the herbs into a pile as you cut them.
To mince garlic, start by separating the head into individual cloves
with your hands. Smash the garlic clove under the blade of the chef's knife
by hitting it with the palm of your hand; this breaks open and releases the
peel. With your fingers on the knife tip, rock the knife through the garlic
until it is minced.
To cut bell peppers into 1/4 x 1-or 2-inch julienne strips, start by
cutting the pepper in half vertically and scraping out all the seeds and membranes.
Then place the pepper halves, skin sides down, on the cutting board. Cut the
pepper halves into 1/4-inch strips, then cut the strips into 1- or 2-inch pieces,
making sure you keep the blade tip on the cutting board while pushing the blade
through the peppers. To dice the peppers, simply turn the julienne strips sideways
so that they're at a right angle to the blade, and cut the strips into the size
that is specified in the recipe.
To cut corn off the cob, peel and discard silks and shucks. Stand corn
cob on end, and cut kernels off the cob using a sawing motion.
