John Myers
Tips and tricks for chopping herbs
Herbs come in many flavors. From coriander and lavender to lemon balm and the royal herb basil, you can refine a wide variety of dishes with natural spices. The following tips will help you effectively and quickly chop the herbs to use them in all sorts of delicacies.
- Choose the right tool. A blunt knife is not recommended as this would only crush the herbs. That reduces the flavor immensely. A chopping knife, a mortar, or herb scissors are best suited. Alternatively, choose a sharp knife with a curved blade. Alternatively, just use your hands and tear up the herbs, which works well with parsley or mint, for example.
- Be sure to sharpen the tools before cutting. Sharpening stones are best for this. The sharp edge makes it easier to penetrate the plant fibers, which does not destroy the aromas.
- Work quickly. The faster you let the blade of the tool cut through the fibers, the fewer tannins are released. These could significantly worsen the aroma.
- Before chopping, wash the herbs. If these are washed after crushing, a part is often lost down the drain.
- To keep your herbs fresh, they should not be left in the sun or near heat sources when chopping. They dry out quickly and lose their aroma as a result.
- You can, of course, use the herbs without chopping them if the recipe doesn’t specify it. The advantage: the aroma lasts longer because the essential oils cannot evaporate. This is particularly recommended for Mediterranean dishes.
