I’m convinced that one of the reasons that many people are intimidated by cooking is the language… Every technique has a name that, unless you are fluent in French, may not really provide much insight.
Want to test out my theory? Try asking your friends and family if they know what chiffonade means… Then, ask them if they think they can do it! My guess is you will get blank stares and rolling eyes (or at least, that’s what happens to me when I start throwing culinary words around!).
But here’s the thing… Learning the word chiffonade is probably more difficult than actually doing it! So, to demystify the whole technique, I thought I’d do a quick tutorial today to show you how truly easy it is.
Chiffonade really just means to cut herbs into nice, thin strips. It’s a perfect technique for garnishing food in the summer, and I use it all the time. I just love that burst of green (and flavor!) that fresh herbs add to a dish. Of course, it helps that I have an herb garden in my back yard that is just bursting with mint and basil, and I’m always trying to find ways to get rid of them!
The one key to a perfect chiffonade is to have a good, sharp knife. If your knife isn’t sharp enough, the herbs will get bruised and you won’t get pretty little strips of green. So, sharpen your knife, and let’s get started!
How to Chiffonade Herbs…
- Start with a large, leafy herb (such as mint or basil). Be sure to rinse (if necessary) and dry the herbs. Then, remove any stems so that you’re just left with the leaves.
- Working with about 6 – 8 leaves at a time, line them up so that they are all facing the same direction. Then, place them on top of each other in a nice, neat stack.
- Take the stack and roll it lengthwise, into a cigar-like shape.
- Carefully secure the roll of leaves with your left hand (right hand if you’re left handed… Imagine the pictures in reverse!) and cut thin slices across the roll with your knife. This will yield thin strips perfect for sprinkling on the top of your favorite dishes!
Nice lesson and you are perfectly correct about the terminology.