There are many different ways to cut a cucumber. Learn about the most popular cuts that can be applied to other vegetables as well. Slice cucumbers quickly and evenly to give your dishes an inviting and professional look.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Prepare the Cucumber
Step 1. Choose the best cucumbers
When it's time to select them, choose the ones that are firmer, darker and free from wrinkles or soft parts. Some of the cucumbers for sale have been waxed to slow their decay when they are not in season. The peel of cucumbers is rich in vitamin A, so try to select the ones that have not been treated so that you can eat it.
If the cucumbers you purchased have been surface treated with wax, it is important to peel them and discard the peel
Step 2. Wash the cucumbers
Gently scrub them under cold running water. It is important to wash fresh vegetables to remove different types of bacteria, for example E. coli, salmonella or staphylococcus aureus.
The Food and Drug Administration ("Food and Drug Administration," generally abbreviated to FDA) recommends washing vegetables with plenty of hot or cold running water and, where possible, scrubbing the peel with a brush if you intend to eat it
Step 3. Peel the cucumbers (optional)
The peel of the cucumbers is slightly leathery and a little bitter, but it is perfectly edible. If you prefer to avoid eating it, remove it in thin strips using a common vegetable peeler.
Step 4. Trim the cucumbers at the ends
Remove the hard tips with the knife and throw them away.
Step 5. Remove the seeds (optional)
They consist mostly of water, so if you want to prevent them from diluting your salad dressing or making your dishes too moist, you can remove them and throw them away.
Cutting the cucumber after removing the seeds becomes easier
Step 6. "Team" the sides of the cucumber (optional)
Squaring the sides of vegetables is a technique used for more complex cuts and serves to eliminate roundness to create flat surfaces all around. Squaring the sides of the cucumber before slicing will allow you to get evenly sized pieces and more even cooking. In addition, the dish will look more inviting and professional.
Start by squaring off one side of the cucumber. Remove the rounded part, then rotate it 90 ° and repeat until you have eliminated all the rounded parts and you have a perfect box with four edges and flat sides
Method 2 of 4: Cut the Cucumber
Step 1. Place the cucumber horizontally on the cutting board
There are many different ways of cutting a cucumber for everyday cooking. You can slice it into slices by cutting it horizontally to obtain discs of uniform thickness.
Step 2. Hold the knife correctly
Grab the handle with your middle, ring, and little fingers and place your thumb and index finger along the sides of the blade for a stable grip and cut.
Hold the cucumber steady with your free hand. Gently grasp it with your curved fingers
Step 3. Try to be specific
The handle of the knife should be held high, while the tip should be resting on the cucumber where you want to start cutting. Push the knife back and forth with each cut.
Step 4. Cut the cucumber into pieces of the size and shape you want
You can cut it into sticks for the pinzimonio recipe or into small even pieces to add it to a salad.
Method 3 of 4: Cut the Cucumber into Julienne
Step 1. Hold the knife correctly
Grab the handle with your middle, ring, and little fingers and place your thumb and index finger along the sides of the blade for a firm grip and stable cut.
Hold the cucumber steady with the other hand. Gently grasp it with your curved fingers
Step 2. Cut the cucumber lengthwise after squaring it
Try to make slices a couple of millimeters thick. You will get thin rectangles. Each time bring the handle of the knife back up and the tip in direct contact with the cucumber, resting where you want to start cutting. Push the blade forward as you sink it into the cucumber.
The position of the hand holding the knife must be such that the side of the blade gently presses against the knuckles of the fingers of the hand holding the cucumber. It takes a lot of practice to acquire dexterity and confidence. If you are tense, move your fingers farther back to get them away from the blade
Step 3. Cut again
Take the rectangular cucumber slices and apply the same technique. Again try to make uniform slices a couple of millimeters thick. You should get sticks that are 2mm thick and wide and 4cm long.
Step 4. Slice the cucumber into sticks using the batonnet method (optional)
This technique is a variation of the julienne cut and produces thicker sticks.
Cut the cucumber into pieces about 6 cm long, then cut each piece into slices about 6 mm thick. Overlap the cucumber slices and cut them lengthwise into sticks with a thickness of 6 millimeters
Step 5. Enjoy the chopped cucumber
The julienne cut is ideal for a salad, a vegetable dish or for homemade sushi.
Method 4 of 4: Cut the Cucumber Creatively
Step 1. Cut the cucumber into cubes
Instead of cutting it into slices, you can make cubes by dividing it in half lengthwise and then cutting it in half lengthwise again. Line up the halves on the cutting board horizontally and cut them into even cubes.
Step 2. Try the brunoise cut
To cut the cucumber into very small cubes just add a step to those of the julienne cut. Once you have the thin sticks, line them up on the cutting board and slice them to obtain small uniform cubes. Done!
- In this case the cubes must be 2 mm thick on each side.
- If you prefer, you can cut the cucumber into larger cubes.
Step 3. Start with the batonnet cut to cut the cucumber into large cubes
You can cut the cucumber into large sticks using the batonnet technique and then cut it into large cubes. Cut each piece into cubes of about 6mm per side.
Try to be as precise as possible to get evenly sized cubes
Step 4. Try the technique called paysanne (or peasant)
If you want the cucumber to be cut into even smaller and thinner pieces, start with cubes of 12 mm per side, then slice them to obtain square slices with a thickness of 3 mm.
Step 5. Cut the cucumber into a spiral
Use a sharp knife or vegetable peeler (recommended if you are new to spiral cutting cucumbers) and start peeling from one side in a circular motion. Try to get a very thin strip. Continue until you have reached the opposite end of the cucumber.
- Be cautious when handling the knife or vegetable peeler. Gradually remove your fingers from the blade.
- Try to keep the spiral intact, but don't worry if it breaks.
- If you want, you can use a knife or a pickle remover to remove the seeds from the cucumber before spiraling it.
- Spirals are fun and decorative, you can add them to your salad or season and serve them on their own for a creative side dish. They are also perfect for garnishing a sandwich or hamburger.
Step 6. Enjoy the chopped cucumber
Cucumber sticks and cubes are great and very versatile, you can add them to a salad or use them to garnish your summer recipes. Using these cutting techniques you will give a very professional look to your dishes.
Advice
- You can peel the cucumber with a vegetable peeler if you want the sticks or cubes to have a uniform color and texture.
- Cutting vegetables is an art that requires some compromises. If you want to hurry and avoid waste, you have to sacrifice uniformity. If you want to reduce waste and get an even cut, you need to slow down. If you want to hurry up and get precise sticks or cubes, you will have more waste. Most cooks adopt the best compromise according to their needs.
- Cut the cucumber into thin slices and add them to a sandwich.
- If you don't want to eat the cucumber peel, you can peel it before slicing.
Warnings
- Always wash your vegetables before eating them.
- Make sure your fingers are not in the path of the knife or vegetable peeler.
