How to chop a shallot

Follow this cheffy technique for a tip-top chop.

How to chop a shallot
  1. Buy the long, thin banana shallots as they’re easier to peel and chop more finely than the round ones. Halve lengthways, top and tail, then peel.

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  2. Remove the inner core and set aside, keeping the top three layers.

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  3. Flatten the top layers with the palm of your hand.

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  4. Finely slice lengthways, leaving 5mm at the top to grip with your fingers. Still gripping, slice the other way to create fine dice.

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  5. Repeat the cutting process with the inner layers, without flattening them out first.

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Golden rules

  • Make sure your knife or cleaver is very sharp.
  • Keep one end of the shallot intact.
  • For fine dice, make the slices close together.

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