Lesson: Basic Cuts of Vegetables
SLICING
BRUNOISE (fine dice)
- thin and broad slices
- can be used in meat, vegetables, fruit,
cheese, and bread
- salads, baked, roasts, grills
- used to cut vegetables into fine dice
- carrots, onions, leeks, celery, bell,
peppers, beets, and turnips
- fine brunoise: 1.5 mm cubes
- regular brunoise: 3 mm
↳ Use: garnishes, stuffings
CHIFFONADE (shredding)
- used on leafy vegetables and herbs
- spinach, sorrel, basil, and mint
↳ Use: sautee, stuffing, garnish
MINCING
- smaller than dice or chopped
- ideal technique for onion, garlic, ginger
- as herbs, stuffing, garnish
CRUSHING
- this technique is used to crush food such
as ginger and garlic
JULIENNE/ALLUMETTE (match sticks
cuts)
TOURNE/CHATEAU
- food are cut into long thin strips similar to a
matchstick
- carrots, celery, potatoes, and cucumber
↳ Use: garnishes, chinese stir-fries, salads
↳ Size: 4 cm length
- used to turn vegetables into a barrel shape
- carrots, potatoes, or squash
- cuts always need even sides
↳ Use: sauteed, boiled, baked
↳ Size: 2 inches by 7 sides
MACEDOING (small dice)
RONDELLE/WASHER
- ¼ inch dice
- salad, soup, and large fruit
- rondel means round or circular
- cucumber, zucchini, carrots, cucumber,
pineapples, strawberry
PARMENTIER (medium dice)
PAYSANNE
- 1.5 cm
- salad, sautee preparation
CARRE (large dice)
- cubes with 6 even sides
- ¾ inch (2 cm)
- salad, sautee preparation
- 1 mm thick
- soup and trims
↳ Use: sautee preparation, garnish
WEDGES
- cut equally lengthwise
- tomato, potato, lemon
- four or six pieces
↳ Use: stew, fried, grilled, roasted, boiled,
poached
BATON
- 1.5 x 5 cm long
- 5 mm wide, and 5 mm thick
↳ Use: sautee preparation
CULINARY USES
- commonly used in food preparation
↳ picking processes, vinaigrettes, and
salad dressings
- an ingredient in condiments
↳ mustard, ketchup, and mayonnaise
- an essential component
↳ chutneys, marinades, and sauces
Lesson: Vinegar Facts
WHAT IS VINEGAR?
HEALTH BENEFITS
- comes from the french words vin and
aigre (vinaigre)
- “sour wine”
- composed of acetic acid and water
- common sources are grapes and apples
1. Aids in healthy digestion
2. Lowers cholesterol
3. Improves skin health
4. Improves blood pressure
5. Improves immunity
Acetic Acid Bacteria:
↳ group of microorganisms with multiple
applications in food industry
↳ used for obtaining vinegar, kombucha,
cocoa, ascorbic acid, and tartaric acid
↳ involved in spoilage of beer, wine, and
cider among fermentation
WHERE DOES VINEGAR CAME FROM?
- as old as civilization itself
- it has been found in Egypt (3000 B.C.)
and Babylonian (5000 B.C.)
- “poor man’s wine” (posca)
- used in many cultures as a condiment and
preservative
TWO STEPS PROCESS:
1. FERMENTATION
↳ sugars are broken down in the absence of
oxygen by yeast
2. ADDITION OF OXYGEN
↳ enables bacteria to produce amino acid,
water, and other compounds