Our top 5 of the best knives for cutting fruits and vegetables
We have identified our 5 favorites to be sure to score the basket.
The chef's knife
The chef's knife is THE essential knife in a kitchen. He's the team captain. Both solid and precise, it is the most versatile . It can play at all positions and will be perfectly suited for cutting your toughest foods such as squash, to the most precise, such as fruit salad.
The great strength of the chef's knife lies in its heel, which is thicker than that of a Santoku, and the rounded shape of its blade. This makes it perfectly suited for the “Rock Chop” technique, or rocking motion, often used to cut vegetables such as onions.
Wait, before continuing, we are asked in the headset what is the heel of a knife? The heel is the rear part of the cutting edge which is closest to the handle.
At Atma, we worked on the Ultimate Chef's Knife in 100% forged stainless steel whose versatility and perfect cutting edge allow you to make 90% of your cuts in the kitchen. Ideal for tackling all kinds of fruits and vegetables!
Santoku
Featuring a blade with a rounded tip and a flat edge, the Santoku knife is great for slicing, dicing and chopping a wide range of fruits and vegetables, from cucumbers to butternuts. It's a bit of the brute of the team. Full of power, but also full of softness since its cutting edge makes it possible to cut fragile vegetables and delicate raw flesh , such as fish, without damaging them.
Unlike the chef's knife which uses the pendulum technique, the Santoku requires cutting from top to bottom to tackle vegetables.
The Nakiri
When we think of “cutting vegetables”, we also think of Nakiri. With its rectangular, straight, flat and fine blade, this Japanese kitchen knife is ideal for obtaining precise cuts of cucumbers, onions or carrots.
Unlike the Santoku, this knife is specifically suited to fruits and vegetables. He is therefore less versatile, he is a real expert!
The paring knife
Here we have the little one of the band who never ceases to amaze us with his precision. Its pointed blade is perfect for making precise cuts and for working with more delicate foods such as shallots and garlic cloves . To a lesser extent, this utensil can also be used to peel fruits and vegetables such as kiwis.
On our side, the paring knife is under development! To tell you the truth, the prototypes are being finished and we should receive them in the office at the end of the month. We can't wait to show them to you.
The peeler or peeler
No doubt here about its use, everything is in its name. Composed of a blade fitted and pierced with two sharp slits, this small knife is intended to remove the skin from fruits and vegetables . It thus makes it possible to peel the skin of potatoes, pumpkins and other kiwis and apples.
In addition, the tip of the knife allows you to dig into the flesh of the fruit or vegetable to extract what you do not want to eat, such as seeds, pits, etc.
How to properly cut fruits and vegetables?
Now that you know how to choose your tool, it's time to practice . Having a good knife is good. Knowing without using it is better. This is the BA-BA of cutting fruits and vegetables.
First important thing: the stability of your food for cutting. The rounded shape of many foods can often complicate the operation. We give you the diagram quickly: the fruit slips, the knife slips and hello injury.
To avoid this, a little advice that may seem very simple to you, but will do you a favor: cut one side of your rounded food to lay it flat. Or just cut it in half.
The stability of your cut being assured, let's move on to the technique. From dicing to chopping, each fruit or vegetable will unfold its maximum flavor depending on the shape it is cut into . Garlic, for example, will tend to reveal its aromas once chopped, while other vegetables will be more interesting cut into strips.
Now that you have the theory, we trust you for the practice. All you have to do is launch yourself armed with your Ultimate Chef's Knife and your board. Don't forget to share your most beautiful cuts with us on social networks with the #madewithatma.
And if you have any questions, you can ask us in the comments below. We are here to answer you.
Leave a comment