The chiffonade technique is commonly used for basil, mint, or lettuces, and it’ll make your leafy greens of any size look like a pretty, fluffy pile of ribbon. Here’s how to do it:
First, stack your leaves. Start small: You’ll want around 10 leaves at a time, according to Fine Cooking, though with a bit of practice you can make your stacks even bigger. We like to layer bigger leaves at the bottom and smaller ones on top.
Next, roll the stack lengthwise, as tightly as possible. It should look like a cigar.
Either way, the closer the cuts, the thinner and more delicate your chiffonade will be. Continue slicing until you reach the stem.
To avoid the “paper doll” effect — where the strips stick together — Allison recommends following through completely with your knife, with a slight forward motion once the entire blade makes contact with the board.
If you’re worried about browning, chiffonade your herbs just before you use them. And then voilà, you’ve got a lovely addition to salads, pastas, fish, or even fruit — before you could even say sous-vide.
—Talia Ralph
This article was originally published onFood52, a site that brings cooks together to share recipes, ideas and support.
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source: people.com
