BASIC COOKING 101: VEGETABLE CUTS

Batons
“Sticks” of vegetables around 12mm/½ -inch thick and up to 7.5cm/3-inches long. Usually cut before cooking.

Brunoise
A very fine dice up to  2mm/¹/12th inch square. Usually cut before cooking. Often used as a garnish.

Chips/French Fries/Crisps
Chips and Fries are”sticks” of vegetables between 5cm/2-inches and 10cm/4-inches long and  up to 2.5cm/1-inch thick.  Crisps are very thin slices no thicker than 6mm/¼-inch. Both are cut before cooking and are usually deep fried until crispy.

Chunks
A piece of cut vegetable larger than 3.75cm/1¾-inches. Usually cut before cooking.

Cubes
Pieces of  vegetables from 12mm/½ -inch to 36mm/1½-inches square.  Can be cut before or after cooking.

Dice
Pieces of  vegetables between 6mm/¼-inch and  12mm/½ -inch square.  Can be cut before or after cooking.

Grated
Thin pieces of vegetables created using a grater. They can be any length depending on the vegetable used but are always wafer thin.

Julienne
Strips of vegetables usually 3mm/ ⅛- inch square up to 5cm/ 2 inches long standard. Often a mandoline is used for accuracy. Often used as a garnish.

Mashed
Vegetables which have already been cooked until soft then further broken down with a fork or masher.

Matchsticks Thin “sticks” of vegetables no thicker than 6mm/¼-inch square and 5cm/2-inches long.

Paysanne Very thin slices of vegetables no larger than 6mm/¼-inch square. Most often used as a garnish.

Purée
Vegetables which have usually already been cooked until soft then mashed, then made smooth by rigorous beating or passing through a sieve. With some vegetables a food processor can be used.

Shred
Vegetables cut into thin strips generally no wider than 6mm/¼-inch. Usually done before cooking.

Slices
Vegetables cut into similar size flat pieces. Can be lengthways or widthways,  from 6mm/¼-inch to 2.5cm/1-inch thick.

Sulfrino Balls
Sulfrino vegetable ballsare made with a very small melon scoop, sometimes called a Parisienne scoop, up to 12mm/½-inch in diameter. Most usually used for garnishes.

(Source: recipes4us.co.uk)