I was in my early 20s when I learned this and I felt like I had earned my advanced culinary degree. My ex mother-in-law (and all around great person), Kathy, is an exceptional cook and nutrition and diet expert. She gardens, she travels, she experiments with cuisines, she loves to eat well and serve others what she makes. So I learned from the best! She always had large pots of basil on her deck and we would use this technique to cut them and add them to dishes.
Basil is my favorite herb. I also grow large pots of basil on our kitchen patio. It is not unusual for someone to walk by and squeeze a leaf and I do not even care. The fragrance is nearly erotic. It works great with Mediterranean and Asian cuisines and you can never go wrong with the fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and fresh basil combo – CAPRESE (invented in the 1950s in Capri, Italy). Make a salad (drizzle a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar!), put them in a grilled sandwich, or stick them on a toothpick for a charcuterie board.
The best way to cut up basil is to chiffonade it. Chiffonade is commonly used for cutting ingredients with broad, flat leaves, such as basil, mint, spinach, lettuce, kale, and other herbs or greens. By the way, chiffonade is a French term that refers to a cutting technique used in cooking. The word “chiffonade” translates to “made of rags” in French, which describes the thin strips or ribbons that result from this cutting method. When I make salads I do a generous chiffonade – not quite a thin ribbon (.25 of an inch or so) but a larger one (.5 to 1.25 inches).
Here I am making a romaine salad. I added green peppers and left it at that. I do not add dressing to the salad before serving but put several dressings out for people to use. Dressings make leftover salad super soggy.
And yes I am using a steak knife. This was a real down and dirty/we really need a veggie quick meal. It’s ok to do that. No one is going to run out of your house screaming for help if you use the “wrong” knife when you are cutting lettuce.
Chiffonade is also often used as a garnish for dishes or as an ingredient in recipes where a subtle distribution of flavor and texture is desired. The technique helps release the natural oils and flavors from the leaves, enhancing the overall taste of the dish.
The technique itself involves stacking several leaves, rolling them tightly into a cylinder, and then making thin, uniform slices across the rolled leaves.
Steps for Chiffonade:
- Wash and Dry: Ensure that the leaves are clean and dry.
- Stack Leaves: Stack the leaves on top of each other, making a neat pile.
- Roll the Stack: Roll the stack of leaves tightly into a cylinder or cigar shape.
- Slice Across the Roll: Using a sharp knife, make slices across the rolled leaves.
- If Making a Salad: Cut the slices in fourths.
Next time you are making a salad give it a try!
