How to chop a bunch of herbs in no time
You make us incredibly happy with big bunches of fresh green herbs because, honestly, they make almost any dish instantly more interesting. Casseroles, salads, over chicken, meat and fish – whether it’s summer or not; throw a few handfuls of fresh herbs over it and it immediately looks fresh and thoughtfully prepared. And this tip for getting the leaves off the stems faster will come in handy!
Do you remember the first time you ate really delicious tabbouleh, and thought, ‘good grief, herbs like parsley, mint and coriander only really shine when you use them by the bunch, instead of some pathetic little wisp for decoration’? Well, I do! And look what Sarah Rae Smith came up with as a tip for quickly removing the leaves from the stems, so you don’t have to stand there pulling them off one by one with your fingers:
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Done in a flash
Instead of picking the leaves off the stems one by one with your angelic patience, take a sharp knife and cut along the stems of a bunch of herbs that you’re holding in your other hand. A bit like scraping a carrot. Then turn the bunch ninety degrees and repeat. Most of the leaves will come off this way; pick off whatever remains by hand. You can tie the stems together with a piece of kitchen twine (and optionally freeze them) to use later, for example in a bouquet garni when you want to make chicken soup. And now you have the leaves ready much faster for chopping coarsely or finely.
More net nacho time
It may not be earth-shattering, but be honest: sometimes the simple tips are the most useful thing in the kitchen, right? We can already picture generous bowls full of the aforementioned tabbouleh, parsley pesto galore, coriander dressing until you see green (delicious over pasta salad), and salsa with nachos until the tequila runs out. Bring on those bunches!
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Source and image: Sarah Rae Smith
