How To Produce A Chiffonade

Chiffonade (the French word for "made of rags") is a technique for cutting long thin strips of herbs and leafy greens. Though it's typically used to quickly (and easily) create a beautiful, fresh herb garnish for dishes like soups or pastas, it's also a good way to cut larger leafy greens into strips for salads or stir-fries.

Here's an easy way to produce a chiffonade.

First, wash your leaves to remove any dirt and gently pat them dry with a clean towel. Next, stack them one on top of the other into a small pile. Be careful that you don't stack too many at once or they will be difficult to roll.

Then, roll the leaves tightly in a length-wise direction, so that you have the longest possible roll.

With your fingertips tucked back to avoid getting cut, carefully slice through the roll at even intervals to produce long, thin, ribbon-like strips.

Kristie Collado is The Daily Meal's Cook Editor. Follow her on Twitter @KColladoCook.