We About The Love of ... Knife Skills

I'm hoping by now that you have become more and more comfortable working in the kitchen and cooking. I'm also hoping that some of these recipes have given you a chance to flex your culinary muscles a little bit and stretch your skillset. Most of all, I hope some of the stress and fear that may come from trying to think of a good recipe have been eradicated.

I'm sure by now, you've realized that there are certain tools that you will utilize frequently in the kitchen. If not, I'll let you in on a secret: there are certain tools that you will utilize frequently in the kitchen. And one of those tools is going to be a knife.

Now, did you get a little nervous at the idea of handling such a sharp object in the kitchen? Don't feel alone; many people are nervous or uncomfortable with the idea of using a knife. One of the biggest fear people have is using the knife wrong and essentially hurting themselves. But if you know what you are doing, you have nothing to fear. Here, I'll share seven tools to help make using a knife safer for you:

1. Use a sharp knife. It may make sense to use a duller knife to keep yourself safe, but a dull knife can't cut through ingredients like a sharp one, which means you have to work harder, increasing the risk of the blade slipping off the off and slipping over your finger. Keep your knife nice and sharp in order to make smoother and safer cuts.

2. Create a stable surface. It's scary when you realize that your cutting board is shifting underneath your knife and food. To elimanite this hazard, wet a paper towel and slide it under your board. This will keep the board from moving around as you cut.eliminate

3. Create a flat surface. Not all food is created equal; every food has its own beautifully unique shape, size, and structure. But this can be a problem when you are chopping food that doesn't lay flat on the cutting board. Get around this curveball by chopping or cutting the food down to a flat surface and using that as a base as you finish cutting.

4. Use the right grip on your knife. While there are many ways that may feel comfortable when you hold your knife, not all of them are safe. The best way is to wrap your fingers around the knife where the blade and the handle meet. Some people extend their index finger over the top of the blade for more stability, but that's Food Network-level chopping and I personally am not there yet.

5. Protect your fingers. If you want to ensure you'll leave the kitchen with all your fingers intact, you have to be careful where you place them as you chop. Make a knuckle guard by placing your fingertips on the ingredient, then curling them up. This will extend your knuckles past your fingertips and act as a guide for your knife.

6. Learn the most common chopping techniques. Knowing how you need to chop your food makes a world of difference. There are many techniques, each serving a different purpose for your food, so be familiar with what you need to do before you do it, so you can better understand how to control the knife and the blade. We'll touch on these techniques in a little bit.

7. Practice. The only way to get better and more comfortable with your knife is to keep trying out different techniques and use them as often as possible. The more you chop, the better you become (and who knows...maybe you'll be on Chopped on Food Network!)

These seven tips will help you become more comfortable with using a knife in general, but there is another stage, and that's understanding the various types of knife cuts that you can utilize. As I said earlier, each cut has a purpose in your food. Some help make cooking easier and more even, some help with a more polished presentation. Here are the different types of knife cuts you are most likely to come across:

• Julienne (Matchstick) - This is a common cut that is stick-shaped and very thin. This cut is often used for stir-fries or making garnishes. Vegetables cut in this style cook quickly, but are also served raw this way. To make this cut, square off your vegetable, then cut lengthwise into 1/16-inch slices, leaving thin, rectangular slices. Take the slices and cut them into sticks.

• Brunoise (Fine) Dice - This is the smallest dice you can make. Essentially, once you julienne your vegetables, cut them into tiny squares. Like the julienne, this is great for garnishes, but also works well for salad toppings. To make this cut, follow the directions for the julienne cut, then gather the strips and chop into equally-shaped pieces.

• Batonnet (French Fry) - If you love French fries, guess what? You've been eating your potatoes cut in the batonnet cut. But this cut is also popular when creating those really fancy veggie trays and cheese boards you see at upscale parties. To make this cut, slice your squared-off vegetable into 1/4-inch slices. Take the slices and cut them into 1/4-inch sticks.

• Small Dice - Meet the middle child at the younger end of the spectrum of diced knife cuts. These cuts are similar to the fine dice, but, of course, a little bigger. Mastering this cut is great for making soups and stews because you can load your spoon with plenty of veggies. To make this cut, cut the vegetable into batonnets. Then, gather the sticks and cut down into 1/4-inch squares.

• Baton - This is the largest stick cut. Not commonly used in cooking, but great for making vegetable side dishes and helpful to master for medium dices. To make this cut, cut your squared-off vegetables into 1/2-inch slices.

• Medium Dice - The perfect cut for your thicker, chunky stews and for making home fries or roasting your vegetables for a nice even cook. To make this cut, cut your vegetable into batons, then cut the batons in half to produce cubes.

• Large Dice - This cut is best used for larger root vegetables, such as potatoes, rutabaga and celery root. You also want to use this cut when you are making your long-cooking dishes. Be aware that you will produce more waste when trying to make the perfect cut pieces. To make this cut, make your baton cuts wider, about 3/4-inch cut, before making your cubes.

• Chiffonade - This cut is used to thinly slice and cut your leafy herbs and vegetables into ribbons. This is great for garnishes with smaller, lighter herbs and veggies, but use a larger chiffonade for leafy greens for sauteing. To make this cut, start by stacking the vegetable or herb leaves. Roll them into a cigar-shaped roll, then slice the roll into thin ribbons.

• Chopped - Probably the most common cut and the one you've most likely been using your whole life. This cut is called for vegetables when uniformity and shape are not important. To make this cut, simply chop your vegetbale down to a small size.

• Minced - This cut is a chopped version of a brunoise and essentially a very small chop. This method is used mostly for shallots, garlic, and herbs. To make this cut, make a brunoise cut and chop down smaller.

Next time you read a recipe, see how many different types of knife cuts are included and don't be afraid to try them out. They may come out rough the first time, but give yourself grace for trying them out - you'll get better.

We about the love of knife skills, and it's time to sharpen those knife (skills).