Fine dice for a quick-cooking sauce.
The size you cut the individual components of a flavor mixture depends on how long the mixture will cook and if it will be
pureed. The French make a big deal out of demanding that a classic mirepoix (Mirepoix is the French name for a
combination of onions, carrots and celery) be cut into very tiny dice —a handy way of torturing beginning culinary students.
But there's actually a sound reason for chopping mirepoix into small pieces for a quick-cooking dish: the smaller pieces will
release their flavor more quickly during the short cooking time. On the other hand, mirepoix for a pot of long-simmering
stock can consist of very large pieces of vegetables—onions cut in half, whole celery ribs, and carrots in chunks.
Any other Idea?
The size you cut the individual components of a flavor mixture depends on how long the mixture will cook and if it will be
pureed. The French make a big deal out of demanding that a classic mirepoix (Mirepoix is the French name for a
combination of onions, carrots and celery) be cut into very tiny dice —a handy way of torturing beginning culinary students.
But there's actually a sound reason for chopping mirepoix into small pieces for a quick-cooking dish: the smaller pieces will
release their flavor more quickly during the short cooking time. On the other hand, mirepoix for a pot of long-simmering
stock can consist of very large pieces of vegetables—onions cut in half, whole celery ribs, and carrots in chunks.
Any other Idea?
