How to cut chiffonade for stunning salads!

Chiffonade – if you have ever wondered how they make those gorgeous herby ribbons? We have the answer here, with step by step instructions so you can’t get it wrong!

what is chiffonade?

It is a slicing technique where leafy green vegetables and herbs such as spinach, basil, sorrel, etc. are cut into long, thin strips.

WHERE DID IT ORIGINATE FROM?

Chiffonade is of French origin and means to cut into ribbons.

HOW TO CUT CHIFFONADE

Wash and dry your basil then strip the leaves from the stems.
Stack the leaves on top of each other.
Gently roll the leaves into a cigar.
Hold them tightly into shape, then use a sharp knife to slice them into thin ribbons.

STRIPPING BASIL LEAVES FROM STEMS ON A WOODEN BOARD — STEP 1: STRIP BASIL FROM STEMS

STEP 1: STACK YOUR LEAVES for the berry salad — STEP 1: STRIP BASIL FROM STEMS

WHERE TO USE THIS TECHNIC?

As mentioned Chiffonade is ideal for leafy green vegetables and large leafy herbs. Try it on…

HERBS – basil, sage, mint, sorrel, kaffir lime leaves

LEAFY GREEN VEG – spinach, lettuce, kale, silverbeet, chard, collard greens,

ASIAN VEG – bok choy, pak choy, choy sum, Gai lan, wombok/Napa cabbage

WHAT CAN I USE MY CHIFFONADES FOR?

Herb Chiffonades are great as a garnish can be used in salads, grilled meats, pasta, pizza, curries, stews, pies, tarts and pretty much anything else you can think of!

A prettier way to cut your next kale, lettuce or leafy veg salad.

Or try it with your Asian veg for a less cooking time in your next stir fry.

THE BEST KNIFE TO USE TO CHIFFONADE?

Use this technique with either a chef’s knife or with a Santoku knife as these styles of knife offer greater control and let you slice with cleaner, fewer cuts.

💡 KNIFE TIPS 🔪 Place your thumb and forefinger on the blade near the handle for better control.
Then use the centre to cleanly slice through the leaves in as few cuts as possible to avoid bruising your leaves.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JULIENNE AND CHIFFONADE?

The Julienne cut is used to cut sturdy vegetables such as carrots, cucumber, zucchini, beets, etc. into small matchsticks.

The Chiffonade cut is used to finely shredded leafy greens into ribbons.