Coarsely chopped herbs
Although we are in the middle of winter as I write these lines, you should not hesitate to make salads at this time, it is actually quite simple, rather fast, and so pleasant.
A while ago, I already told you that a salad is a salad, but a salad with herbs is immediately something much better: taste, freshness, chewiness, herbs bring all that, and you really shouldn't hesitate to put them everywhere, if you like it of course.
Well, do you have to chop them up ? cut them with scissors ? thin ? thick ?
A while ago, I already told you that a salad is a salad, but a salad with herbs is immediately something much better: taste, freshness, chewiness, herbs bring all that, and you really shouldn't hesitate to put them everywhere, if you like it of course.
Well, do you have to chop them up ? cut them with scissors ? thin ? thick ?
11 K 4.9/5 (15 reviews)
Keywords for this post:HerbsKnifeChoppingSaucesSaladsScissorsChopperLast modified on: January 9th 2021
Coarsely chopped herbs
In the old days, it was customary to chop parsley very finely, for example, before adding it to a recipe. Generations of cooks have learned to make a quasi "powder" of parsley, because that was how it was done.
And then, with the arrival of the new kitchen, the chefs realised that the finer you chopped, the more the taste of the herb was lost, the expression to express this is "The taste remains on the board", understand: you chopped so much that all the taste is gone on the cutting board, and very little is left with the mince itself.
As a result, we backtrack, we no longer chop finely, we chop big, very big, or even we don't chop at all.
In practice, at home, no more fine chopping so the best thing is either to chop, "chisel" is a better term, roughly, with a sharp knife, and add immediately to the recipe/salad.
To do this:
- Remove all the leaves from your chosen herb (parsley for example), discard the tails, or better still, use them in another recipe.
- Gather all the leaves into a small, tightly packed pile
- Cut this small pile, fairly roughly, with a sharp knife (4 or 5 strokes, not more)
- Immediately add the herbs to your recipe.
By doing this, you will get the taste and freshness of the herbs in your dish, and if you can stir after adding them, cover and wait 30 minutes, it will be even better.
And if you come across chopped herbs in a shop, it is a heresy, don't buy them, depending on their degree of freshness they will simply have little or no taste.
To sum up: Don't chop your herbs too finely, chop instead, with a knife and add immediately, to really reveal the taste.
And then, with the arrival of the new kitchen, the chefs realised that the finer you chopped, the more the taste of the herb was lost, the expression to express this is "The taste remains on the board", understand: you chopped so much that all the taste is gone on the cutting board, and very little is left with the mince itself.
As a result, we backtrack, we no longer chop finely, we chop big, very big, or even we don't chop at all.
In practice, at home, no more fine chopping so the best thing is either to chop, "chisel" is a better term, roughly, with a sharp knife, and add immediately to the recipe/salad.
To do this:
- Remove all the leaves from your chosen herb (parsley for example), discard the tails, or better still, use them in another recipe.
- Gather all the leaves into a small, tightly packed pile
- Cut this small pile, fairly roughly, with a sharp knife (4 or 5 strokes, not more)
- Immediately add the herbs to your recipe.
By doing this, you will get the taste and freshness of the herbs in your dish, and if you can stir after adding them, cover and wait 30 minutes, it will be even better.
And if you come across chopped herbs in a shop, it is a heresy, don't buy them, depending on their degree of freshness they will simply have little or no taste.
To sum up: Don't chop your herbs too finely, chop instead, with a knife and add immediately, to really reveal the taste.
Lasts posts
Grilled bacon is much better in the oven
Some recipes call for thin slices of bacon to be cooked and added to the recipe, or to prepare one of those delicious breakfasts known as "à l'Anglaise".April 25th 20256355
The thermometer is your friend
There are many recipes or foods that require a (very) precise cooking temperature: foie gras, sugar for caramel, meats and fish, and not forgetting pastries. For these few examples, getting the cooking temperature wrong can spoil the whole recipe or dish: undercooked, it's no good or misses the...April 10th 20251,4695
Travel cakes
You may have come across the term "travel cakes" ("gateaux de voyage" in french) for certain pastries, so let's take a look at what they're all about.January 27th 20252,995
The aromatic power of sugar
In the kitchen, sugar doesn't just sweeten, it also has an exceptional ability to capture flavors. Combined with aromatic ingredients, such as citrus zest, it acts as a veritable sponge for aromas. By taking the time to let the sugar soak up the flavors, you can transform your desserts, making...December 25th 20243,4255
The little trap of thick cream
When you need to add cream to a recipe, you might be wondering: thick (heavy) cream or liquid cream? In most cases, there's no big difference: you can use either. But there is one exception, and that's when the cream needs to be cooked, for a sauce for example, and here the difference between...December 13th 20243,5585
Other pages you may also like
Candied fruits: don't get ripped off
Do you like candied fruit? You might like to nibble a handful or add it to a recipe, like a classic fruit cake or delicious Italian specialities like panettone or sicilian epiphany pie.June 21th 201761 K 24.2
The first breads of humanity?
I have already told you in a previous article the beautiful story of the croissants, but do you know what it is about the bread, who "invented" it, where and when? Well, you can imagine that recent discoveries, in 2018, have profoundly changed the history of bread.February 16th 201911 K5
The super powers of cornstarch
I start this new year by evoking an old product, that you most probably have in your cupboards, a white powder, often in a small cardboard package with a slightly outdated look, only the "gluten free" is relatively recent, it is simply cornstarch, hence its name of maïzena. It's used for a lot...January 14th 202211 K
A few tips for effective kneading at home
When you have to knead dough for bread or some other recipe, you may well use a food processor or the type of machine known as a stand mixer. The best-known brands are Kenwood and KitchenAid. They are useful tools, but here are a few tips to help you get the best out of them.June 23th 2021276 K 23.7
The 3 kinds of meringue
Meringue – what could be simpler? Just beaten egg whites with sugar added. This makes a fairly stiff mixture which can then be cooked in a cool oven to create those lovely, light confections. But in the world of professional patisserie, meringue comes in three different kinds. Even if the...June 14th 201360 K4.5
Post a comment or question
Follow this page
If you are interested in this page, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the page is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.