Five Knife Cuts Every Home Cook Should Know

Good knife skills make cooking faster and safer. You do not need restaurant speed, just a few reliable techniques and a sharp knife. A dull blade needs more force, which makes it more likely to slip.

Set up

• Use a large cutting board and put a damp towel underneath so it does not move.
• Use a chef's knife with an 8-inch (20 cm) blade; it handles most jobs.
• Keep the area clear and never try to catch a falling knife. Step back and let it drop.

The grip and the claw

Hold the knife with a pinch grip: thumb and index finger pinch the blade just in front of the handle, and the other three fingers wrap the handle. It gives far more control than holding the handle alone.

Your other hand makes a claw: fingertips curled under, knuckles forward. The flat of the blade rests against your knuckles as a guide, so your fingertips stay out of the way.

1. Slice

Rock the knife forward and down through the food in one smooth motion, keeping the tip on the board. Move your claw hand back a little after each cut to set the thickness. Use it for cucumbers, tomatoes and onions for Greek salad.

2. Dice an onion

1. Halve the onion through the root and peel it. Leave the root on; it holds the layers together.
2. Lay one half flat. Make vertical cuts from near the root to the tip, without cutting through the root.
3. Cut across those cuts to make a dice. Discard the root end.

3. Mince garlic

Crush a clove under the flat of the blade to loosen the skin, peel it, then slice thinly. Gather the slices and rock the knife back and forth over them, holding the tip down with your other hand flat on the spine, until the pieces are very fine.

4. Chiffonade

For fine ribbons of basil or other leafy herbs, stack the leaves, roll them tightly into a cigar and slice across the roll thinly. Do it just before serving; cut basil darkens quickly.

5. Julienne

Cut a vegetable into planks about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick, stack the planks and cut them into thin matchsticks. Squaring off the sides of round vegetables first makes the planks even. Matchstick carrots and peppers cook quickly in a stir-fry.

Caring for your knife

• Wash knives by hand right after use, and never leave them hidden in a sink of soapy water.
• Hone the edge regularly with a honing steel, and sharpen it when honing no longer helps.
• Store knives in a block, on a magnetic strip or with blade guards, not loose in a drawer.