What should you do if a leaf piece remains too large after a chiffonade attempt?

Question

Find out what to do when a piece of herb remains too large after chiffonading.

Answer 1

If a leaf piece is too large after a chiffonade, simply stack the remaining pieces and repeat the chiffonade process, or finely chop the oversized piece separately.

Detailed Explanation:

The chiffonade technique involves stacking leaves, rolling them tightly into a cylinder, and then slicing thinly across the roll to create delicate ribbons. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, a piece of leaf might be too large or not fully incorporated into the roll. Don't worry, this is easily remedied.

Here's a step-by-step breakdown:

1. Assess the Situation: Identify the leaf pieces that are too large.
2. Re-stack and Re-roll: If you have several larger pieces, stack them together, re-roll them tightly, and slice again using the chiffonade technique. This will create smaller, more uniform ribbons.
3. Finely Chop: If it's just one or two pieces, you can simply chop them finely with your knife to match the size of the other chiffonade ribbons.
4. Incorporate: Gently mix the re-chiffonaded or chopped pieces with the rest of your chiffonade.

Pro Tip:

To prevent overly large pieces in the first place, ensure your leaves are thoroughly dry before stacking and rolling. Moisture can make the leaves slippery and harder to cut cleanly.