How important is technique

The biggest most important thing about preparing food in the upscale food industry is Technique. This may seem like a scary work but don't let i frighten you. When preparing food for this stage of the industry every thing has to be picture perfect, not at home. I am going to review some of the different techniques used to make you preparation go easier and faster. When you read my recipes you will see it calls for chopped, diced or minced onions. Yes there is a difference. Chopped= a thicker random cuts on the onions into larger pieces, Diced= precision cutting so that everything is uniform in size, and minced = the finest cut which is almost the same as shredding. Now when preparing food for the cooking stage remember the more uniform you product is in size the more evenly it will cook.

chopping onions;
1. Peel a medium size onion and cut in half

2. Place onion cut side down on your board.

3. With a sharp knife, sharp knives are a real important part of food preparation, Slice through the center of the onion twice horizontally carefully not cutting all the way through the other side.

4. Now take your knife place the point where your cut stopped at the heel of the onion on you horizontal cut. Make 4 equal vertical cuts strait down evenly spaced across the surface of the onion. You will end up with a onion octopus which is all still connected at one end.

5. Take your knife and cut across your vertical cuts starting at the end spacing them and equal distance apart. approx. 1/4 inch.

Following these tips will result in an evenly diced onion. I know it sounds complicated but with practice you will end up cutting onion in a fraction of the time and with no tears. lol......
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