BASIC CUTS AND SHAPES
Cutting food products into uniform shapes and sizes is important for two reasons:
1. It ensures even cooking.
2. It enhances the appearance of the dish.
Figure below shows some common shapes,
The Guiding Hand:
While one hand controls the knife, the other hand controls the product being cut. Proper positioning of the hand will do three things:
1. Hold the item being cut. The item is held firmly so that it will not slip.
2. Guide the knife.
Note that the knife blade slides against the fingers. The position of the hand controls the cut.
3. Protect the hand from cuts.
Fingertips are curled under, out of the way of the blade.
*No matter which method you adopt, it’s crucial to be aware of the position of your “guide” hand. Always keep your thumb tucked behind the gently curled fingers of your guide hand. This will prevent countless injuries, and also facilitate the use of your knuckles to guide the edge of your knife to its proper position for the next cut:
The following terms describe other cutting techniques:
Rondelle: a coin-shaped slice of a cylindrical vegetable. A diagonal can be formed by simply turning your knife at an angle to the axis of the carrot
Paysanne: a decorative cut that’s related to the medium dice, but sliced into 1/8” thick squares (1/2” x 1/2” x 1/8”).
Rough Chop: to cut into irregularly shaped pieces.
Concasser: (con-cass-say): to chop coarsely
Mince: a tiny, but less fussy cut of vegetable, with no specific dimensions except that it should be quite small, usually in order to promote quick infusion of flavor to a dish.
Shred: to cut into thin strips, either with the coarse blade of a grater
(manual or power) or with a chef’s knife.
Chiffonade: This term refers to cutting leaves into fine shreds. It is applied most often to lettuce and sorrel. To cut chiffonade, remove the heavy leaf ribs, roll the leaves into a tight cylinder, and then slice crosswise into thin shreds
Parts of the Knife
To select a knife of good quality that fits your hand well and is suitable for the intended task, you need a basic knowledge of the various parts of a knife. Currently, the most frequently used material for blades is high-carbon stain less steel. Other materials, such as stainless steel and carbon steel, are also available.
For many years, carbon steel was used to make most knife blades. Although carbon steel blades take a better edge than either regular or high-carbon stainless steel, they tend to lose their sharpness quickly. Also, carbon steel blades will discolor when they come into contact with high-acid foods such as tomatoes or onions. Carbon steel blades must be treated carefully to avoid discoloration, rusting, and pitting. They should be washed and thoroughly dried between uses and before storage. The metal is brittle and can break easily under stress.
Stainless steel is much stronger than carbon steel and will not discolor
or rust. It is difficult to get a good edge on a stainless-steel blade,
although once an edge is established, it tends to last longer than the
edge on a carbon steel blade.
High-carbon stainless steel is a relatively recent development that combines
the advantages of carbon steel and stainless steel. The higher percentage of
carbon allows the blade to take and keep a keener edge; the fact that it is
stainless steel means that it will not discolor or rust readily.
The most desirable type of blade for general use is taper-ground, meaning
that the blade has been forged out of a single sheet of metal and has been
ground so that it tapers smoothly from the spine to the cutting edge, with no
apparent beveling. Frequently used knives should have taper-ground blades.
Hollow-ground blades are made by combining two sheets of metal. The edges are then beveled or fluted. Although hollow-ground blades often have very sharp edges, the blade itself lacks the balance and longevity of a taper-ground blade. This type is often found on knives, such as slicers, that are used less frequently.
TANG
The tang is a continuation of the blade that extends into the knife’s handle. Knives used for heavy work, such as chefs knives or cleavers, should have a full tang; that is, the tang is as long as the entire handle. A partial tang does not run the full length of the handle. Although blades with partial tangs are not as durable as those with full tangs, they are acceptable on knives that will be used less frequently. Rat-tail tangs are much narrower than the spine of the blade and are encased in the handle (not visible at the top or bottom edges); these tangs tend not to hold up under extended use.
HANDLES
The handle should fit your hand comfortably. Manufacturers typically produce handles made from various materials and in varying shapes, intended to achieve a more custom fit to suit a variety of hand sizes. Spend some time holding the knife. A comfortable fit will improve the ease and speed with which you can work. A poor fit can result in fatigue or cramping. People with very small or very large hands should be sure that they are not straining to hold the handle. Some knives are especially constructed to meet the needs of left-handed chefs.
RIVETS
Metal rivets are usually used to secure the tang to the handle. The rivets should be completely smooth and lie flush with the surface of the handle, to pre vent irritation to the hand and so that there is no place for debris and microorganisms to collect.
BOLSTERS
In some knives there is a collar or shank, known as a bolster, at the point where the blade meets the handle. This is a sign of a well-made knife, one that will hold up for a long time. Some knives may have a collar that looks like a bolster but is actually a separate piece attached to the handle. These knives tend to come apart easily and should be avoided.
TYPES OF KNIVES
A wide array of knives is available to suit specific functions. As you continue to
work in professional kitchens, your knife kit will grow to encompass not only the basics chef’s or French knife, boning knife, paring knife, and slicer but also a number of special knives, such as a tourné knife, serrated knife, utility knife, and flexible-bladed knife.
The knives a chef will accumulate over the course of his or her career will almost undoubtedly include a number of special knives that are not discussed below. There are, for example, several special knives and cutting tools found exclusively in the bakeshop; still others are required for butchering meats and fabricating fish. This list is intended as a
guide to the knives that may be found in nearly any well-outfitted knife kit.
CHEF’S KNIFE or FRENCH KNIFE. This all-purpose knife is used for a variety of
chopping, slicing, and mincing chores. The blade is normally 8 to 14 inches long.
UTILITY KNIFE. This smaller, lighter chef’s knife is used for light cutting chores.
The blade is generally 5 to 7 inches long.
PARING KNIFE. This short knife, used for paring and trimming vegetables andfruits, has a 2- to 4-inch blade.
BONING KNIFE. A boning knife is used to separate raw meat from the bone. The blade, which is thinner and shorter than the blade of a chef’s knife, is about 6 inches long and is usually rigid.
FILLET KNIFE. Used for filleting fish, this knife is similar in shape and size toa boning knife but has a flexible blade.
SLICER. This knife is used for slicing cooked meat. It has a long blade with a round or pointed tip. The blade may be flexible or rigid and may be taper-ground or have a fluted edge that consists of a series of ovals ground along the edge.
CLEAVER. Used for chopping, the cleaver is often heavy enough to cut throughbones. It has a rectangular blade and varies in size according to its use.
TOURNE KNIFE. This small knife, similar to a paring knife, has a curved blade tomake cutting the curved surfaces of tournéed vegetables easier.
SHARPENING AND HONING
The key to the proper and efficient use of any knife is making sure that it is sharp. A knife with a sharp blade always works better and more safely because it cuts easily, without requiring the chef to exert pressure, which may cause the knife to slip and cause injury. Knife blades are given an edge on a sharpening stone and maintained between sharpenings by honing with a steel.
SHARPENING STONES Sharpening stones are essential to the proper maintenance of knives. The blade is sharpened by passing its edge over the stone at a 20 degree angle. The grit — the degree of coarseness or fineness of the stone’s surface abrades the blade’s edge, creating a sharp cutting edge. When sharpening a knife, always begin by using the coarsest surface of the stone, and then move on to the finer surfaces.
A stone with a fine grit should be used for boning knives and other tools on which an especially sharp edge is required. Most stones may be used either dry or moistened with water or mineral oil. Once oil has been used on a stone’s surface, that practice should be continued. The standard size for sharpening stones is 5 by 2 inches; three basic types of stones are commonly available:
CARBORUNDUM STONES have a fine side and a medium side.
ARKANSAS STONES are available in several grades of fineness. Some consist of
three stones of varying degrees of fineness mounted on a wheel.
DIAMOND-IMPREGNATED STONES are also available. Although they are expensive, some chefs prefer them because they feel these stones give a sharper edge.Grinding wheels, electric sharpeners, leather strops (such as those used tosharpen barber’s blades), and other grinding tools may be necessary to replace orrestore the edge of a badly dulled knife.
Opinion is split about whether a knife blade should be run over a stone from heel to tip or tip to heel. Similarly, some chefs prefer to use a lubricant such as mineral oil on their stones, while others swear by water. Like many other aspects of cooking, which method to use is a matter of preference and training. Most chefs do agree, however, that consistency in the direction of the stroke used to pass the blade over the stone is important. Once you find the method that suits you best, be sure to use the same technique every time.
SHARPENING AND HONING
METHOD ONE
1. Use fourfingers of the guiding hand to maintain constant pressure.
2. Draw the knife across the stone gently.
3. Draw the knife off the stone smoothly.
Turn the knife over and repeat the process on the other side.
METHOD TWO
1. Push the blade over the stone’s surface, using the guiding hand to keep pressure even.
2. Continue to push the entire length of the blade over the stone.
3. Push the knife off the stone smoothly.
Turn the knife over and repeat the process on the other side.
Before using a stone, be sure that it is properly stabilized. No matter which
method you use, keep the following guidelines in mind:
1. Allow yourself enough room to work.
2. Anchor the stone to keep it from slipping as you work. Place carborundum or diamond stones on a damp cloth or rubber mat. A triple-faced stone is mounted on a rotating framework that can be Locked into position so that it cannot move.
3. Lubricate the stone with mineral oil or water. Be consistent about the type oflubricant you use on your stone. Water or mineral oil helps reduce friction as yousharpen your knife. The heat caused by friction may not seem significant, but it caneventually harm the blade.
4. Begin sharpening the edge on the coarsest grit you require. The duller the blade,the coarser the grit should be.
5. Run the entire edge over the surface of the stone, keeping the pressure on theknife even. Hold the knife at the correct angle as you work. A 20-degree angle is suitable for chef’s knives and knives with similar blades. You may need to adjust theangle by a few degrees to properly sharpen thinner blades, such as slicers, or thicker blades, such as cleavers.
6. Always sharpen the blade in the same direction. This ensures that the edgeremains even and in proper alignment.
7. Make strokes of equal number and equal pressure on each side of the blade. Donot over sharpen the edge on coarse stones. After about ten strokes on each side ofthe blade, move on to the next finer grit.
8. Finish sharpening on the finest stone, and wash and dry the knife thoroughlybefore use or storage.
STEELS
A steel should be used both immediately after sharpening the blade with a stone and also between sharpenings to keep the edges in alignment. It should also be within reach anytime you are using your knives. The length of the steel’s working surface can range from 3 inches for a pocket version to over 14 inches. Hard steel is the traditional material for steels. Other materials, such as glass, ceramic, and diamond-impregnated surfaces, are also available.
METHOD ONE
1. Start with the knife nearly vertical, with the blade resting on the steel’s inner side.
2. Rotate the wrist as the blade moves along the steel in a downward motion.
3. Keep the blade in contact with the steel until the tip is drawn off the steel. Repeat the process with blade resting on the steel’s outer side.
METHOD TWO
1. Hold the steel in a near- vertical position with the tip resting on a non-slippery surface. Start with the heel of the knife against one side of the steel.
2. Maintain light pressure and use an arm action, not a wrist action, to draw the knife down the shaft of the steel in a smooth motion.
3. Finish the first pass by drawing the blade all the way along the shaft up to and including the tip. Repeat