Gordon Ramsay's Three-Finger Rule For Chopping Herbs Is Genius (2024)

Gordon Ramsay's Three-Finger Rule For Chopping Herbs Is Genius (4)

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ByAudrey Enjoli

Whether used as a garnish or cooked into a meal, leafy herbs like chives, basil, and cilantro can add a vibrant depth of flavor to just about any dish. However, they can be finicky, especially when it comes to cutting them. For starters, they can turn mushy if they're cut while still wet, which is why you should always dry fresh herbs before chopping them.

Moreover, since herbs are prone to bruising, you shouldn't cut them too vigorously or with too heavy a hand. Fortunately, you can gain more control over your knife by using Gordon Ramsay's three-finger cutting trick, which he demonstratesin a video posted to his YouTube channel. The technique involves holding your greens with your middle finger placed in front of your index and ring fingers, with your nails all tucked in to face your palm. Your knuckle then guides the knife as you chop.

This technique helps reduce the likelihood that your heady greens will be damaged in the cutting process. And, perhaps even better, this brilliant cutting technique may also help protect your fingers from a piercingly sharp blade.

Use Ramsay's three-finger trick to prevent bruising

Gordon Ramsay's Three-Finger Rule For Chopping Herbs Is Genius (5)

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One of the primary reasons herbs end up getting bruised is when too much external force is applied, damaging the cell walls. By using your middle finger's knuckle as a guide, Gordon Ramsay suggests that you're better able to "let the knife do the work" when cutting your herbs (just make sure you have a sharp knife, as a dull blade could also lead to bruising). This method allows for more precision with each cut, so you won't have to make several passes and over-chop your herbs — bruising your greens and losing precious oils in the process.

Avoiding bruising isn't just important because it can impact the appearance and texture of herbs — it may also affect their flavor, potentially even causing them to turn bitter. For this reason, be sure not to grip your herbs too forcefully either. Use the restaurateur's proper three-finger placement to hold them ever so gently, minimizing any excess pressure on them.

More expert tips for chopping herbs

Gordon Ramsay's Three-Finger Rule For Chopping Herbs Is Genius (6)

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Mastering Gordon Ramsay's tip for proper finger placement is essential for cutting herbs without bruising them. However, since every herb is unique, there may be additional steps to take to achieve the perfect cut.

Take basil, for example. Ramsay's method for cutting this soft herb involves opening up each leaf and stacking them on top of one another, arranging them in order by size with the largest ones at the bottom. Ramsay recommends cutting only about 10 to 12 leaves at a time to avoid bruising. After stacking them, gently roll them into a cigar-like shape before you begin cutting your chiffonade.

When it comes to cilantro, hold the bunch facing downwards, and gently scrape the leaves off the stalks with a sharp blade. Then, you can bunch them back together and start chopping — just avoid hacking.

For beautifully chopped chives, try the back-slicing technique, which involves gliding the knife back and forth on the cutting board without lifting the blade's tip after each pass. Of course, be sure to hold the chives with Ramsay's three-finger trick for expertly chopped herbs full of flavor.

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Gordon Ramsay's Three-Finger Rule For Chopping Herbs Is Genius (2024)

FAQs

Gordon Ramsay's Three-Finger Rule For Chopping Herbs Is Genius? ›

The technique involves holding your greens with your middle finger placed in front of your index and ring fingers, with your nails all tucked in to face your palm. Your knuckle then guides the knife as you chop. This technique helps reduce the likelihood that your heady greens will be damaged in the cutting process.

What is Gordon Ramsay's signature dish? ›

However there was one dish that the Duke would love so much that he'd always order his culinary staff to make it for his guests- this dish would then be called the Beef Wellington.

What techniques does Gordon Ramsay use? ›

13 of the Best Cooking Tips from The Gordon Ramsay Academy
  • Read the recipe first. ...
  • Clean as you go. ...
  • Crack eggs on the work surface. ...
  • Always bring meat up to room temperature. ...
  • Use your senses. ...
  • There's no need to sieve flour. ...
  • And Finally...Enjoy It!

What is the best tool to chop herbs with? ›

What's a mezzaluna? A mezzaluna is a knife with a curved blade (although there are plenty of mezzalunas with two or three matching blades). The shape helps you achieve a back-and-forth rocking motion that works incredibly well for slicing, chopping, and mincing.

What is Gordon Ramsay's best dish ever? ›

Gordon Ramsay's best recipes include Beef Wellington, Coq au Vin, Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Piccata, Rack of Lamb, Baked Salmon with Lemon and Dill, Shrimp Scampi, Beef and Guinness Stew, Spaghetti Carbonara, and Beef Burgundy.

What's Gordon Ramsay's favorite food? ›

In most of Ramsay's restaurants, you can find it on the menu. However, Ramsay has revealed his favorite American food is grits topped with shrimp and Parmesan cheese.

What famous chef taught Gordon Ramsay? ›

Marco Pierre White (born 11 December 1961) is a British chef, restaurateur, and television personality. In 1995, he became the first British chef to be awarded three Michelin stars. He has trained chefs including Mario Batali, Shannon Bennett, Gordon Ramsay, Curtis Stone, Phil Howard and Stephen Terry.

What chef did Gordon Ramsay train with? ›

After earning a vocational diploma in hotel management from North Oxon Technical College in 1987, he moved to London and began honing his culinary skills under chef Marco Pierre White at the restaurant Harvey's and under chef Albert Roux at La Gavroche.

Is Gordon Ramsay a self taught chef? ›

Contrary to the common perception of Ramsay as a self-taught chef, he received formal culinary training. His career began with rigorous training under celebrated chefs such as Marco Pierre White in London, and he also worked at La Gavroche under the tutelage of Albert Roux and Michel Roux.

How do you chop herbs quickly? ›

She put a handful of tarragon leaves in a tall glass, then used kitchen shears to snip the leaves until they were minced fine. The glass held the leaves compressed in a small space, so it was easy to cut them up. The sharp scissors also did a much better job of cutting the herbs finely than a rougher knife would have.

How to not bruise herbs when chopping? ›

Remove tough stems and fold leaves into a bundle. With finger tips pointed inward, slice in rocking motion, crisscrossing with knife until finely chopped.

What is the best tool to trim herbs? ›

Gardening experts recommend clipping herbs with a purpose-built snipping tool rather than regular scissors, which aren't always sharp enough to make quick, clean cuts. Squishing the stem can hinder the plant's ability to take in water, which can stifle — or fully prevent — further growth.

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