Didn’t you hear, it’s hip to chiffonade (shi-fe-’nad)!
You can use this technique on any fresh herb or leafy green. It takes a basic leaf, and turns it into a beautiful little ribbon!
Using basil as our example, you simply stack up the leaves (up to 8-10 at a time works fine), placing the largest leaves on the bottom. Roll them up, and then with a sharp knife, cut through the stack crosswise to make fluffy little ribbons.
This method creates very uniform pieces, so even when you aren’t making a chiffonade for presentation purposes, it’s still a useful tool in ensuring that you don’t too large a bite of any herb.
Try out your new skill when making the very delicious Fusilli alla Caprese, and bon appétit!
