Knife Skills And Cutting Techniques Knife Skills A

Knife Skills And Cutting Techniques

Knife Skills A chef’s knives are the tool of their trade and are to be protected and cared for carefully and respectfully. Knives can vary in price from $30 - $300 each and chef’s can be extremely protective of allowing other to use their knives. There are some important safety rules that need to be remembered when handling knives:

Never … • Try to catch a knife if you drop it – let it fall and then pick it up. • Use a knife other than for the purpose for which it was designed, such as a bottle opener or screwdriver. • Force a knife with your other hand without protection; for example, when cutting a large pumpkin or black of cheese, use a tea towel to protect your hand. • Cut towards any part of your body. • Let a knife hand over the edge of a work bench.

• Cut food in your hand. • “Hide” a knife under anything, such as a tea towel or bunch if spinach. • Walk with knives in a horizontal → position. • Run your fingers along a blade to check the sharpness. Use the paper-slicing test. • Put a knife in a sink – it will not be seen in the washing-up water. • Hand a knife to anyone. Put it on the bench and let them pick it up. • Never put the knives into the dishwasher as this causes them to become blunt and warp.

Sharpening Knives A blunt knife is more dangerous than a sharp one as it requires more force in use. To keep knives sharp there are 3 general methods used:

Honing – a “honing steel” which looks similar to a big nail file – is carefully rubbed in an even motion down each side of the knife.

Whetstone Using a whetstone – a “whetstone” is used with a little detergent. The knife is carefully rubbed in small circles on the coarse side of the stone and then on the finer side of the stone.

Sharpening Units These are readily purchased and can be manual or electric.

Onions Start with a sharp knife and a large, firm onion for ease of cutting. Gripping the onion and with fingertips curved, slice in half from the root end straight through to the top end. Split the onion in two equal halves, leaving the root ends attached.

Peel back the onion skin, discarding the skin. Place onion halves onto the cutting board with flat sides down. Slice off about 1 -inch from the top end of the onion Grip an onion half firmly, curving the fingertips away from the knife for safety. Slice evenly in parallel cuts from one side of the onion across to the other. Thinner cuts will result in smaller dice; thicker cuts for larger dice

Move your fingers out of the way and grip the onion at the root end. Make a parallel cut, slightly angled down toward the cutting board. Make a second parallel slice above the first one and also slightly angled toward the cutting board (and away from your fingers)

Repeat for the second onion half, chopping the onions from the last few cuts to make even dice. Gripping the onion and keeping your fingers curved away from the knife, slice across the onion in parallel cuts.

Special Cuts for Special Taco Toppings Tomatoes, cabbage, capsicum, sweet corn, carrot, onions, pannier, green peas, baby corn and grated pannier

Trays

Fruit Bowls, Baskets and Boats

Radish Roses and Rosettes

Green Onion Garnish

And Fun!