How To: Chiffonade

When I was in college, I took a year and a half of French. I loved it. I neglected my other studies so I could flip through vocabulary flash cards and conjugate verbs. I rented "Babar the Elephant" for an assignment and actually watched it, despite the heckling from my roommates. French was one of my favorite courses. (The others were Piano for Beginners and Table Tennis, but we won't go there.)

Unfortunately, my love of the French language didn't mean I was any good at speaking it. Although I do feel that my years of study give me a certain appreciation for macarons, soft cheeses, and champagne, I can't get much past "Bonjour!" But I do like to throw around a few French phrases in the kitchen for good measure. (No matter that I learned them from the Food Network or "Julie & Julia.") Who doesn't like a fancy-sounding word that means something easy? It's just classier in French.

Chiffonade simply means to cut something (usually greens or leafy herbs) into long, thin strips. And it looks as pretty as it sounds. Here's how you do it:

Stack the leaves you want to chiffonade. (Here I'm using basil.)

Roll up the leaves as tightly as you can until they look like a little cigar.

Using the sharpest knife you have, cut across the rolled leaves so you have thin strips.

Et voila! Chiffonade.