 |
| Mom never stops being your mother |
What I mean is that after I learned how to chop food, it was easier, quicker and I didn't waste as much food. The big thing that I learned was how to avoid cutting myself.
Even though I expect that some day, I will accidentally nip myself again, I probably would have many cuts by now if I hadn't learned how to cut food and chop it up.
One of the best cooking and chopping tips I learned was to NOT leave some chopped pieces bigger than others.
What happens is the small pieces cook faster. If you stop the cook, the large pieces are not cooked through. If you continue cooking, the small pieces turn to mush. This is especially evident when you chop up peeled potatoes and boil them to make mashed potatoes.
Sharp knives
Naturally, you are going to need one or more sharpened knives. CUTCO sells excellent knives and they are covered by a lifetime warranty. Be warned. These beauties are expensive, but hey, they last a lifetime. It's a good investment.
< Henckel is also known for quality knives. You can save by buying a set. Get one that comes with a block to store your knives in, and you never have regrets.
Learn how to sharpen them so you can keep your knives honed with a fine cutting edge.
Yes, before doing any cutting or chopping, make sure your knife is sharp. The reason is more than ease of use. A knife that is not sharp can actually slip out of place.
For example, if you're slicing a tomato, and the knife slips off the skin, you can get a nasty cut on your finger. I have more than a dozen knives, some of excellent quality that my son gave me as a gift, and some of less quality that were give-aways at the grocery store. So I keep a good electric knife sharpener on the kitchen counter.
Cutting board
It's always a good idea to have at least two cutting boards in the kitchen: One to cut raw meat on; and one for fruits and vegetables.
The first thing to do is wipe your cutting board clean. Even if it is sitting clean in the cupboard, dust accumulates. Give is a quick dust off. After all, the food you cut on it is going into your mouth.
Set the cutting board on a kitchen towel. This protects the kitchen counter surface, the back of the board, and prevents the board from slipping or moving around when you're using it.
Cutting, slicing, chopping
When cutting vegetables for a salad, for example, start by getting rid of the core, seeds, or other parts that are not fresh and edible. For veggies like cucumbers, celery and carrots, cut a small section off each end and discard. These "end pieces" are usually shriveled and not tasty. If you cut pieces on a slight angle, it makes a nice look and it is actually easier.
For foods such as onions that are round, and tend to roll around, steady the onion by slicing off the stem end. Then, the onion will rest flat on your board and not move around.
Peel off the onion skin, and slice to your desired thickness. If you want to chop or dice an onion quickly and safely, here is the best technique.
Cut the peeled onion in half. Place each half flat side down on the board. Hold the root end with your fingers curled under (so you don't get a nick). Cut a series of horizontal slices with your knife, leaving a little room at the root end so you can hang onto it. Do not cut off the root, at this point, or your onion falls apart.
Next, cut a series of vertical slices equal distance apart. Continue to hold the root end, and simply run your knife through your onion half. You end up with evenly diced square pieces within minutes. Repeat the same process with the other onion half.
If you want to dice or mince some garlic. Take a clove, and smash it with the wide flat side of your knife. The skin will separate, and you can peel it right away from the bulb.
Then, take the tip of your knife and position it firmly on the board just over the garlic, securing it with the fingers of your left hand. If you are left handed, switch sides. Keep that point steady on the cutting board, then rock the blade of your knife right and left across the garlic until you get the finely chopped pieces you need.
Choosing a knife with the slightly rounded bottom edge allows for this rocking cutting motion.
This is fast, and it works well with any ingredient that needs to be finely chopped, including items that are "hard" to chop like nuts!
Cutting fruit is easy, when you follow the same process as onions.
Generally, hold your knife in your right hand. Place the tip of your knife so it slightly touches or rests on the cutting board. When you chop skinny foods like vegetables, rock the knife up and down, but keep the tip of the knife in contact with the cutting board.
As you chop, slowly push the food toward the knife to cut it. Hold your pace steady so you get pieces that are equivalent in size.
Wipe food off both sides of your knife when done cutting each food.
Always curl your fingers as if gripping a baseball and place against the food where you position the knife. This hand position helps prevent cuts and more serious injury.
When you are cutting or chopping small or soft foods such as herbs like parsley or cilantro, first grasp a small amount in your hand and squeeze it so it forms a tight ball. Release, place on your cutting board, use the cutting and rocking technique to cut and chop.
Wash out any seeds or other loose parts of food before you start to cut, slice or chop. Most people don't bother to do this, but it is important. For example, the watery seeds of a ripe tomato are tasteless. You don't need them. Remove.
Learning how to cut food, slice and chop up ingredients is an important step in preparing food that tastes good and looks awesome.
I, for one, wasn't aware of the technique. I was a chop hacker. Yes, the food came out okay, but now that I know how to properly use a knife, my food look like a picture in a magazine. Happy am I.
That's it for today, blog.