As you may have inferred, we are talking knife skills people! That’s right we are going to be slicing, dicing, and so much more. I have a tendency to use a lot of onions, garlic, and bell pepper. I had to find a way that was fast and easy to breakdown the holy trinity of Cajun food. What I hope is gained from this information? I don’t want anyone crying over onions, or getting bell pepper seeds everywhere, or even getting the root end of the garlic splintered into your finger when you try to peel it!! That used to happen all the time, and it hurts like stepping on a Lego! You know that pain. Let’s get into this business.

First, we should really mention the most important tool in the kitchen is a good, sharp knife. Most people believe they will cut themselves with a sharp knife, but the opposite is true. A dull knife requires more force to pass through food. More force means it is harder to stop once you realize something has gone a stray. Keep your knives sharpened! remember that the steel is not sharpening, is it merely to realign the edge.

I Love Asian Blades!! The steel, edge retention, and balance are things of beauty. You get a finer bevel on the degree of the cutting edge, which makes for more precise technique. 9 times out of 10 I will use my Shun Classic Nakiri for anything and everything. It makes me feel like a culinary warrior, ready to best any task in order to ascertain dinner.

Breaking down a Bell Pepper

 What do I like to do first with the bell pepper? I cut off both the top and bottom of course. Then I stand the pepper on a cut side. After that I make a cut down the side of the pepper. Laying the pepper on its side, I glide my knife across the inside surface of the pepper. I slice through each rib as I seem to “unroll” the pepper. I can then discard the center, and the seeds will all go away with the stem.

After Flattening the pepper on my board, I make cuts ¼ inch apart lengthwise all the way down the pepper. This is a Julienne, and if your recipe requires you can stop here.

I used a small dice more often than not, so we will simply keep chugging along. I stack the strips into a neat pile. Rotate the pile 90 degrees and make ¼ inch spaced cuts.

Chopping an Onion

There are many ways to cut an onion. I’m going to show you the fastest way to not breakdown into tears, while breaking down an onion.

I begin by cutting off the stem end of the onion. This will give me a flat surface and prevent it from rolling. It’s important to cut off the stem end and not the root. The root will hold everything together for cutting.

Then I will cut the onion in half through the root and turn the freshly cut sides down onto the cutting board.

At this point some people would suggest making three lateral cuts into the onion. I don’t do this. I find it a waste of time and a little dangerous. It seems to me, that both methods have identical results in the end.

I cut into the onion, going towards the root. Each cut spaced ¼ inch apart. Turn the onion 90 degrees and cut across the onion. Discard the remains with the stem.

Mincing and Peeling Garlic

I don’t even bother trying anymore. If I’m in a pinch, I will just slam it with my knife and chop it a couple of times…Good to Go!!! I wanted to use this portion of our learning to share some of my favorite kitchen tools. I hate having the garlic smell on my fingers. So, for me, a garlic press is a necessity. I have owned several over the years, but until just a few months ago, I never knew this little peeling tool existed. I don’t know how I lived without it. I love it so much, I have two!

It’s a garlic peeler that looks like a manicotti made out of plastic. This noodle works by having the skin of the garlic stick to the inside walls when you press down lightly. Then you can turn the noodle over and out comes the peeled garlic. Say Whaaa….. Amazing!!!!

You can Find it at Williams-Sonoma.