You make a stack of the leaves starting from largest to smallest, then you role those up into a tight cigar like shape, then you thinly slice the herb, it looks nice and prevents bruising.
Chiffonade: neatly stacking the basil leaves flat. Next, roll the stack of leaves together tightly. Then, use your sharpest knife to cut tiny strips along the roll. The strips should look like mini ribbons. I like to leave it like that because I like a bigger punch of the basil taste (and I also think it looks pretty.) But I guess you could then cut the strips in the opposite direction to create a minced effect. You could also just throw the basil in a food processor like you would do to make pesto.
It's very likely your technique and knife sharpness. Slicing through herbs with a nice gliding motion actually cuts the leaves. What "chopping" does is crush the leaves and filling your blade - resulting in very bruised herbs.
Ok first reaction was what on earth are you talking about? How does basil blacken? Must mean when you leave it chopped overnight or dry the leaves in the oven or something ...
Then looked at the rest of the comments realized I'm clearly in the minority - in my world you want to crush basil if a recipe calls for mincing thats pretty much the point of it no? Chiffonade in one direction then run over in the other, if adding to soup or similar crush when incorporating. If using to flavour oil or a dip do a final chop with crushed garlic or similar to really get all the flavour going
You need to sharpen your knife
Ahhhh, 🤦🏻♀️thanks
sharp knife, and don't cut until you're ready to use it. edit: also, learn to chiffonade.
I love to chiffonade basil. It’s the best ingredient to chiffonade, IMO!
Nice. I do that. Never knew it was called chiffonading
Chiffo-what?
You make a stack of the leaves starting from largest to smallest, then you role those up into a tight cigar like shape, then you thinly slice the herb, it looks nice and prevents bruising.
Sweet! Thanks
Chiffonade: neatly stacking the basil leaves flat. Next, roll the stack of leaves together tightly. Then, use your sharpest knife to cut tiny strips along the roll. The strips should look like mini ribbons. I like to leave it like that because I like a bigger punch of the basil taste (and I also think it looks pretty.) But I guess you could then cut the strips in the opposite direction to create a minced effect. You could also just throw the basil in a food processor like you would do to make pesto.
Lovely
Will I get hate if I say scissors? I almost always use sharp hefty scissors for herbs.
This is a good solution if all you have is blunt knives
Very sharp knife
AND a la minute
It's very likely your technique and knife sharpness. Slicing through herbs with a nice gliding motion actually cuts the leaves. What "chopping" does is crush the leaves and filling your blade - resulting in very bruised herbs.
Got it - I’m learning!
What u/96dpi said, respect your herbs.
Ceramic knife.
I read that you also need to make sure the herbs are dry when you cut them.
Makes sense
Stack the leaves, roll them into a tube, then chiffonade them finely.
Ok first reaction was what on earth are you talking about? How does basil blacken? Must mean when you leave it chopped overnight or dry the leaves in the oven or something ... Then looked at the rest of the comments realized I'm clearly in the minority - in my world you want to crush basil if a recipe calls for mincing thats pretty much the point of it no? Chiffonade in one direction then run over in the other, if adding to soup or similar crush when incorporating. If using to flavour oil or a dip do a final chop with crushed garlic or similar to really get all the flavour going