Kitchen Basics, Lesson 1, Knife Skills!

These days, it seems like you can't turn on the TV without coming across a new cooking show. 

Or enjoy a dinner out without witnessing an iphone documenting every step of the way. 

I don't need to state the obvious, but I will. Food, my friends, is in - and it's not going away anytime soon. 

I am a true believer that anybody can cook. Yes, that's right. A little basic knowledge, and a desire to learn can go a long way. That's why every other week, right here, I will be dishing out the nuts and bolts of savvy and confident cookery - to get you grooving in the kitchen!

Let's start by talking about that oft-anxiety ridden object, the knife. It's finally time to get over your fear and learn how to have a healthy relationship with this kitchen staple.

Before we start, always make sure your hands and knife are dry, and your cutting board is stable. (Here's a trick - dampen a paper towel or napkin and place it under the board to keep a slip-free grip). With these parts in check, you're now ready to roll. Make sure you've got a good, sharp multi-purpose chef's knife as well. It should be heavy enough to easily slice through tough foods - but light enough for comfort. 

The Cutting Hand:

Take your index and thumb fingers and pinch them together with the top of the blade held in between. The pressure here should be firm. 

With the other three fingers, hold the handle. Do not grip too tight, a looser grip will actually allow for more stability and control. Your index and thumb fingers should be doing most of the work.

The Guiding Hand:

The guiding hand is just as important as the cutting hand.  Having proper form will keep your food stable, control the size and consistency of your cuts AND most importantly, reduce those pesky nicks and cuts!

To do this, you will start by tucking your fingers under just slightly. Hold the food to be cut with your thumb - which should be positioned just slightly behind the rest of your fingers. This is called the "claw."

Rest the knife blade against your knuckles. Yes, I know this sounds crazy - but it works. The blade will remain stable and your fingers will stay out of the danger zone. Believe me!

To Cut:

Okay, so now that you've got the form down, it's time to cut! The movement should largely come from your wrist. In fact, the arm/shoulder/elbow should barely move at all. With momentum, practice "bouncing" your knife up and down (keep your guiding hand out of the way for this exercise). How does that feel? Most likely a little strange at first. Don't worry - it will become natural soon enough. 

Now, grab a hold of whatever you need to cut. Make sure that it contains at least one straight and stable surface. If it does not, create one. This will be the side resting on the cutting board. Having a stable surface prevents injuries, and significantly improves the consistency of your cuts.

Place your guiding hand on the object, and line up your cutting hand alongside it. With a slow and even momentum, begin cutting by pushing the tip of the knife down first and following through with the rest of the blade. (If you were to watch your wrist it should be rhythmically bobbing up and down). Each time you come up to the start position, glide your guiding hand back only as far as you'd like the size of your slice to be.

Keep practicing, and try not to get discouraged! Your skills will improve with every recipe you conquer. That's a guarantee.