i'm a bit of a klutz. how do i keep out of the emergency room but still be able to finely mince stuff myself?

Answer 1

Buy Jacques Pepin's Complete Techniques. It's only about $30 and it'll teach you how to do just about everything in the kitchen. well worth it for the serious home cook.

Answer 2

Find a local knife skills class. Try a local store that sells fine cutlery, like a Knife shop, a Kitchen Store, Linen N Things, etc. or check your phone book for culinary or cooking schools that you can sit in on knife days. Also, check your local college and community center, they often will have kitchen skills classes.

The tricks that I have found: Use a good, sharp knife with a good handle; keep your knife handle and hands clean and dry; don't grip too tightly; flatten one side of what you are mincing if possible to keep it stable for cutting; try to keep your fingertips curled up out of the way on the hand you are using to hold the stuff you are cutting; use the whole blade with a slicing motion, not just chopping down; go slow; try to make uniform sized cuts. Remember that the last 1/2 to 1/4 inch of an onion or carrot isn't worth cutting yourself.

Answer 3

Your safest bet is a food chopper or processor. If you still want to use a knife, use a chefs knife on a cutting board and curl your fingers inward when holding the food. The edge of the knife should not come above your knuckles. Use a rocking motion. The tip of the knife shouldn't come off the cutting board. Once the food is too small to hold place your hand on top of the blade holding your fingers straight out and continue to rock the knife through the food until it is fine as you want it.

Answer 4

In my opinion, food choppers are a pain in the butt. I prefer a very sharp knife. Consider one of these cut resistant gloves:

http://www.amazon.com/Steelcore-Resistant-Gloves-Tighter-Medium/dp/B000270QD2/sr=1-1/qid=1171506345/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-1184696-9288409?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden

This will protect your fingers and hands, and you can continue to practice your technique so that as you become better skilled you can cease with the glove. Someone gave me one as a gift, once & I occasionally use it when I'm chopping a high volume of foods by hand and need to do it quickly. I'm pretty skilled with a blade, but everyone can get in a hurry and get a little careless from time to time. Happens to the best of us.

Polly

EDIT: I do have a small food processor that I use when making a big pot of chili and I have to chop, say 6 big onions. They're very nice. It's a "little oscar", but I don't think they make them anymore. It's still a lot more clean-up than a knife, though, and I get more personal satisfaction from doing it myself, for few carrots, an onion, etc.

Answer 5

Well, believe it or not, you need a really sharp knife and keep your fingers tucked and press the stuff that you want to chop pushed down with your fingers while with your other hand rock the knife over the stuff you want to chop. A lot of people like these chopper things with the blades inside--it looks like an upside down glass and a handle that you push down with your palm. I know Pampered Chef has them, but they are available for a lot less at other places like Target and Wal-Mart.

Answer 6

Pampered Chef has a nice vegetable chopper, it's unfortunately not electronic, but it is pretty easy to use, and easy to assemble. It's also dishwasher safe. Check ebay maybe? Because they are pretty pricey.

Answer 7

Buy a electric chopper.

Answer 8

Buy a mini Cuisinart. One blade...no changes..and they are phenominal!!!!

Cost is just under $20.

Answer 9

If you arent very good with a knife, try using a food processer.

Answer 10

Marry a gourmet chef...sorry couldn't resist....