How to chop an onion

[Moos]

Yes, I do realise that even asking the question at my age makes me as dumb as a stump. But it has to be done.

I hate, hate, hate cooking and am not very good at it but have to do quite a lot of it for the smalls. Anyway we have a food processor but it either slices veg or reduces it to mush, it doesn't do nice dicing. So any tips on how to do it by hand without taking off the edge of your thumb, or else taking hours over each onion?

Your scorn accepted, your useful tips gratefully received!

[david_carnell]

Take top off onion. Leave bottom on.

Halve onion along the vertical axis.

Peel.

Then lay on the flat edge and halve along the horizontal being careful not to slice right through.

Turn 90 degrees and make top-down slices across the onion.

Then turn again by 90 degrees so onion is now side on and cut across starting from the top and working towards the still intact base. This will reduce your onion to a nice dice.

Repeat with other half.

NB - use a very sharp knife. Makes life a LOT easier and reduces chances you'll lop of an elegant finger.

Classes available at reasonable rates.

[mockney piers]

I echo everything carnelli says above, with a double echo about the sharpness of the knife, and haev a good knife sharpener to hand.

I'd also add that depending on the dish you rarely have to slice the onion especially finely. On a small onion three slices each way per half is fine. Just remember to sweat them down nice and soft, ie 5-10 minutes on a low to medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure no burning.

[RosieH]

First, don your gimp mask. This will help alleviate unseemly crying.

Much as the Carnell says, but just to add, while a sharp knife is important, it can actually lead to chunks of finger in the stew. This has happened to me, and while the dinner party didn't descend into a cannibalistic frenzy, it did hurt and fingers do bleed like billy-o,

So... when holding the onion, curl your fingers underneath your knuckles slightly, so that the flat of the knife blade rests against your knuckles, and fingertips are safely out of the way of the blade.

As for knives - good German steel's what you need, my girl.

[david_carnell]

Of course the flip side to the sharp knife is that should you be a clutz or just slip, it will hurt. A lot. And there will be blood.

But the chances of it slipping are a lot less than ol' blunty that has been knocking around the kitchen drawer for 10 years.

Obviously if you are a clutz, like our Rosie, then just go back to the food processor! ;-)

[Loz]

Thirded for the Carnell method, except I only make two sets of cuts after halving. And a sharp knife is essential - well, actually for cutting just about anything. Blunt knives are dangerous.

Leaving the root on means the onion stays in one piece whilst you chop it, plus there is an old wives tale that says it makes you cry less. Something about the sulphur compounds being more concentrated at the root end. Probably rubbish.

[Moos]

Thank you both! I shall certainly try that.

I have an excellent knife, very sharp. I like to think the couple of drops of blood that escape into most of my stews adds flavour and reduces the need for seasoning.

[RosieH]

Clutz? Less that than being hung over as a motherfucker.

And as Moos is altogether too much of a lady for such sluttish cheffery, it is less of a worry. Nevertheless, the correct cutting technique should be employed at all times. No fingertips near blades in case of momentary distraction by flying champagne corks or small things getting too close to the oven.

[Moos]

Oh, missed several posts - I mean thank you ALL!

Clearly I am a klutz, but what can you do. I don't think the odd sliced thumb is all that painful, at least not for long.

But the crying! Terrible. Damn those onions, why must they taste so good?

[HonaloochieB]

Imagine my surprise when I found this thread is actually about chopping an onion.

I opened it without due attention to the OP, anticipating a Snorkamunca type sneer at Sabatier knives and likely as not Roullier & White.

Turns out it's about actually chopping onions - no agenda, no underlying resentment, no nothing in fact.

Just a request for allium dissection.

Maybe the world is really just a great big onion after all.

[RosieH]

I see your Sabatier and raise you a Henckels.

[Annette Curtain]

Number 1.

http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/7752/photo144159.jpg Peel & cut in half with a sharp knife.

[RosieH]

Ooh, is that carbon steel?

[Annette Curtain]

Step 2

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/83/photo1144209.jpg Cut through( 85% roughly ) as shown

[david_carnell]

Annette - error. The root has been removed. Your onion will now fall apart during the chopping process.

You'll never get to the mire-poix stage with that behaviour young man.

[Annette Curtain]

Step 3

http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/6587/photoid.jpg Cut finely across to desired size

[RosieH]

And would you look at those fingertips

[Annette Curtain]

Step 4

http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/3307/photo1kat.jpg Take the chopped onion & use as required.

Note.

This advice is based on the K.I.S.S principle. ( keep it simple stupid )

I'm sure once Moos has got the hang of this ( and her ingredients stop misbehaving ) the she can progress onto more "chefy" things.

Have fun first, then improve your skills I say.

Nette:)

[Annette Curtain]

RosieH Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Ooh, is that carbon steel?

:)H, what else ?

[RosieH]

All of the above was simple - was essentially what you repeated photographically, except with root and fingers intact. ;-)

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Ooh, this reminds me of my very first Home Economics lesson. Thanks to Mrs. Large I can chop onions like a pro.

On a lesson on how not to chop, look at Delia. She makes me wince everytime, I keep expecting finger tips in the mix.

[Annette Curtain]

david_carnell Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Annette - error. The root has been removed. Your

> onion will now fall apart during the chopping

> process.

>

> You'll never get to the mire-poix stage with that

> behaviour young man.

Wac wac Ooops...

Chopping ?

Tisk tisk david_c. We cut our onions not chop them.

See me after.

Curtain Ms.

[RosieH]

Annette Curtain Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> RosieH Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Ooh, is that carbon steel?

>

>

> :)H, what else ?

You don't see much these days. Lost mine in a house move. That has made me nostalgic.

[Loz]

Good lord - after the picture in Step 3, step 4 would be "Go straight to A&E and have fingers reattached".

[david_carnell]

Annette Curtain Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> david_carnell Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Annette - error. The root has been removed.

> Your

> > onion will now fall apart during the chopping

> > process.

> >

> > You'll never get to the mire-poix stage with

> that

> > behaviour young man.

>

> Wac wac Ooops...

>

> Chopping ?

>

> Tisk tisk david_c. We cut our onions not chop

> them.

>

> See me after.

>

>

> Curtain Ms.

Chop/Cut/Slice.....tis all semantics.

Tomayto, tomato etc.

Nice knife btw. Hope you're keeping that well greased with some corn-oil.