Basic skills - part 2: knife skills

Basic Skills

Simplify the Process

Organising your store cupboard, equipment and knowing a few basic skills will transform your culinary experience. For me, having a reasonably organised kitchen is key. Before starting any recipe I get all my ingredients out in front of me.

Your work surfaces should be as free as possible. Decent equipment is an investment and will massively change your cooking experience. A recipe is your map, when following a recipe make sure to read through it beforehand.

A mixing bowl next to your chopping board to put all the odds & ends into is a simple but brilliantly useful tip.

Knife Skills

Make sure you have a sharp knife, and when chopping always have the flat side of the vegetable down. I use a claw grip when chopping using my fingers as a guide. Always remember to tuck the bottom bits of your finger under to prevent your fingers from getting caught. A mezzaluna is a great gadget to have and is great for chopping. Another great tip is placing a wet cloth or piece of kitchen paper under your chopping board to prevent it from sliding.

I recommend leaning very slightly over the chopping board so my eyes are looking directly down at my knife as it chops. Squash are notoriously hard to chop. I break the squash down into two bits and handling them separately. Use a rolling pin to gently tap down on my knife so there is no way I can hurt myself.

Most greens have a thicker stalk and a more delicate leaf. The stalk takes longer to cook so it's often necessary to strip the leaves from the stalk. Chop the stalks finely and tear the leaves into bitesize pieces. Chopped Cavelo Nero with salt and a squeeze of lemon juice makes an excellent salad.