Knife Skills

 

Knowing how to work with a knife will make the process of cooking easier and more fun. Here are a few tips. Regardless of what kind of cutting you’re doing, for stability, wrap your fingers around the knife handle but use your thumb and index finger to steady the blade.

 

Slicing. Rest the tip of the blade on a cutting board; raise the heel of the knife, then slice downward while pushing the blade forward.

 

Chopping. Position the knife as for slicing and make quick downward strokes. It’s important to protect the fingers of your nonworking hand by tucking them into a “claw” when slicing and chopping.

 

Mincing. Holding the knife parallel to you, rock it up and down without raising the heel more than an inch or so. Stabilize the knife with your other hand.

 

Smashing garlic. On a cutting board, place an unpeeled clove under the flat side of a chef’s knife and press down with your fist or hand to crush the clove. Remove and discard skin.

 

What is “cutting on the bias”? Cutting on the bias is making a 45-degree cut. I like to use do this when I want to create a more sophisticated look for things like crostini.