Knife Skills Lesson: Creating a Cube from a Round Object

Introduction

• Objective: Transforming a round object (carrot) into a cube shape.
• Importance: A true dice is an exact cube, not a rectangle.

Preparing the Carrot

• Wash the Carrot:
  • Essential to wash before cutting.
  • Trimmed pieces can be used for stock.
• Trim the Carrot:
  • Remove any undesirable parts (non-moldy parts can be used for stock).

Cutting the Carrot

• Cut into Manageable Pieces:
  • Target length: 2 to 2.5 inches.
• Square Off Edges:
  • Use the full length of the knife blade to avoid 'bell-bottoms' effect.
  • Trimmed edges can be added to the stockpile to reduce waste.
• Creating Flat Sides:
  • Roll carrot onto a flat side after each cut.
  • Flat sides prevent rolling and ensure stability when cutting.

Achieving the Cube Shape

• Long Cooking vs. Quick Cooking:
  • Long Cooking: Use large pieces.
  • Quick Cooking (e.g., Stir Fry): Use small dice (quarter-inch cubed).
    • Cut into planks, then sticks (baton).

Final Dice Cut

• Small Dice Preparation:
  • Transform planks into sticks (baton).
  • Cut sticks into small dice (quarter-inch cubed).

Conclusion

• Successful transformation from round to square (cube) using proper knife skills.
• Understanding the importance of shape and size based on cooking needs.