Chiffonade

French Cooking Techniques For Beginners
cooking tips

4 French Techniques That Aren't All That Scary

When you first step into the kitchen and prepare a dish you love for the first time, things can be a little overwhelming; often the last thing you want to do is translate what a technique actually means as you're knee deep in the kitchen.
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When you first step into the kitchen and prepare a dish you love for the first time, things can be a little overwhelming; often the last thing you want to do is translate what a technique actually means as you're knee deep in the kitchen. I get it: there are some French cooking methods and terms that scared me so much when I started cooking that I let go of the dream of creating a certain recipe and moved on to something that felt more accessible.

Truth is, fancy words aside, you'll be surprised how many of these techniques are actually fairly simple concepts once you get a little confidence in the kitchen. Like most things we're afraid of, it's never as bad when you tackle the problem head on and figure out what you need to succeed.

So don't sweat the technique right away; once you get into the swing of these, you'll feel like a kitchen queen. Get acquainted with these French terms and techniques, and they'll soon seem like no kitchen biggie.

How to Cut a Chiffonade
cutting techniques

Know Your Techniques: Chiffonade

A chiffonade is an elegant cut of leafy vegetables into long, thin strips.
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A chiffonade is an elegant cut of leafy vegetables into long, thin strips. The technique is incredibly simple, and the result is a really beautiful cut or garnish.

Stack three to four leaves of whatever vegetable you're using (I used basil here).

Roll the leaves up tightly, and hold them together at one end.

To see more steps (and photos for each), keep reading.

How to Chiffonade Vegetables
knife skills

How to Chiffonade Vegetables

Now that you've become acquainted with the culinary term chiffonade, learn how to employ the kitchen cutting technique in your cooking.
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How to Chiffonade Vegetables

Now that you've become acquainted with the culinary term chiffonade, learn how to employ the kitchen cutting technique in your cooking. It's easy — we've got step-by-step instructions to show you how. This method applies to herbs used for garnish, like basil and sage, or vegetables that have firm leaves, such as cabbage, spinach, collard greens, or chard.

Start with individual clean, dry leaves that are free of any stems or buds. Stack several leaves neatly on top of one another. Beginning at the base, roll the stack of leaves tightly as you would a burrito. Rock a sharp knife back and forth across the "roll," creating consistently thin slices. Gently unravel the tightly-wound chiffonade, and it's ready to use.
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Chiffonade
definition

Definition: Chiffonade

Chiffonade A kitchen cutting technique used to shred the leaves of herbs and vegetables into long, skinny ribbons.
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Chiffonade
A kitchen cutting technique used to shred the leaves of herbs and vegetables into long, skinny ribbons. It is accomplished by stacking leaves, rolling them tightly, then slicing the rolled leaves thinly and evenly with a sharp knife, producing long strips. A chiffonade may then be used in a light sauté or as a garnish.