How to Chiffonade Herbs

“Chiffonade” is the fancy name for those perfect ribbons of green herbs you see garnishing pastas, soups and other savory dishes. The technique lends itself well to large-leafed herbs like basil, sage and mint, which can be easily slivered or chopped.

Select the herb.Choose bunches of herbs with bright green, fragrant leaves, and avoid any that are wilted or discolored.

Pull the leaves from the stems.Rinse the herbs and pat them dry. Use your fingers to pull off the large leaves one at a time from the stems. Discard the stems and any discolored leaves.

Stack and roll the leaves.Stack 5 or 6 herb leaves on top of one another, then roll the stack lengthwise into a tight cylinder.

Cut the leaves into ribbons.Using a chef’s knife, cut the leaves crosswise into narrow slivers (a chiffonade). To chop the herbs, gather the slivers into a pile and rock the blade over them to cut into small pieces.