Turning Vegetables is a classic French technique used in a variety of international cuisines. Vegetable are turned in order to form exactly the same barrel shape and size thus ensuring even cooking while being pleasing to the eye.
A sure sign of a professional in the kitchen is dexterity with knife skills, and few skills are as impressive as the ability to ”turn” vegetables properly.
In my cooking school we wait several weeks before introducing professional students to the skills that European apprentices must master before they are even allowed to face a stove. After graduating, our professional students often come back and thank us for this aspect of their training. Classical restaurants still serve turned vegetables-and they are always turned by hand.
What are turned vegetables? They are vegetables that have been carved into uniform shapes, usually little ovals, often described as footballs or olives. As with so many professional techniques, the purpose of this exercise is both practical and esthetic, meant to please the eye as well as to provide even cooking.
When vegetables are cut into the same diameters and thickness, the heat penetrates them in the same length of time. If there are no sharp corners-the edges of which will cook sooner than the thicker parts-the cooking will be more uniform.
Though many are curious about this particular skill, I`ve found that only about half of our nonprofessional students are interested in learning it. It`s not necessary to learn to turn vegetables to be a good cook; but like most cooking techniques, it`s satisfying to master. The following how-to`s are offered for the enthusiastic and interested:
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