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The art of chopping, mincing and grating
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| Lovers of cookery do not generally like to forego the pleasures of chopping the most precious ingredients by hand, assisted of course by the most suitable tools. While a mixer makes many operations much easier, even when dealing with the most complex recipes, the preparation of some dishes demands the use of important fragrances, herbs and aromas, which may lose their flavour in a powerful electric grinder. |
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Professional chefs recommend the use of a half moon or a good knife, which must be sharpened regularly. You will also need a chopping board, which must be kept still on the work surface; make sure that the board is dry and clean before starting, and if needed place a folded cloth under it to stop it from slipping.In our technical culinary glossary we need to make a distinction between "grinding" and "chopping": we "grind" ingredients with different consistencies into tiny pieces, almost to a pulp, so that they can be perfectly blended together; we "chop" ingredients in a rougher manner. In both cases we must remember to make as few cuts in as little time as possible, to avoid losing the volatile oils and damaging the aromatic substances that lend the characteristic organoleptic qualities (flavour and smell) to the ingredients.
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Fresh herbs are finding their way ever more frequently into our kitchens, as they flavour a dish without overdoing it. They can be used whole or chopped; when whole, they are usually tied together in "bunches", sometimes wrapped in gauze, to be added to dishes during cooking and then removed.
Chopping herbs is a delicate operation, and we need to take a few careful steps to make sure we do not lose their perfume. To prepare long-stemmed herbs with lots of leaves, like parsley or mint, we need to break off the stems at the height of the first usable leaves; the herbs should then be washed in cold water, drained and dried in a salad centrifuge or between two pieces of kitchen paper. Don't throw away the cut stems, as they can be used to flavour stock.
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Having washed our herbs, we put them on the chopping board, with the stems straightened, aligned and all facing the same direction; the bunch must then be chopped as finely as possible, moving from one end to the other. If you need a finer consistency, repeat the operation in the opposite direction, returning to the end of the bunch; to reduce even further, continue to cut diagonally: the important thing is to cut only in two or three directions, to keep the aroma and fragrance intact.
Whether using a half moon or a knife, the cutting movement needs to be rolling and regular. The half moon is easy to use and helps even novice cooks to obtain perfect results, owing to its special shape that guarantees an even pressure; if you prefer to use a knife, take great care when handling the blade to avoid accidents. Experts recommend that you hold the bunch of herbs with your free hand, folding the fingers inwards, and placing the blade horizontally with respect to the herbs then guiding it with your knuckles; another method involves using the knife point as a pivot, held down with the free hand and sliding the blade backwards and forwards. When dealing with herbs with smaller tender leaves or rosemary buds, use scissors, which must also be very sharp.
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POUNDING, CRUSHING AND MINCING |
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Chopping does not only mean cutting or shredding: many recipes would lose their originality if the ingredients weren't crushed with a strong hand in a pestle and mortar.
Made of marble (wooden ones should be used only for less oily ingredients such as salt, pepper or sugar), with a slightly antique appearance, the pestle and mortar make an important contribution to the preparation of fresh spices: the rotating movement of the pestle 'beats' the leaves, and separates the fibres causing them to release all the flavour. Using a mixer or common blender, on the other hand, the straight cut of the blades blocks the leaf capillaries and stops the essential oils from escaping, instead making them evaporate and allowing them to be altered by the heat produced by the fast rotation.
The pestle and mortar are also of great use for crushing garlic, capers, hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts which will all add an unmistakeable aroma to your dishes. Just as with herbs, also peppercorns or nutmeg owe their perfume to volatile oils, which are easily oxidised when they come into contact with the air.
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In the same way, Parmigiano Reggiano should also be grated directly onto the pasta, as the fat contained in it is oxidised and goes off very quickly, changing its flavour. Finally, some types of vegetables, such as courgettes, can be shredded and roughly reduced using a grater, to then be cooked in a number of different ways.
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