How to dice an onion

Every once in awhile, I notice that I take for granted a technique that is highly non-obvious. How to dice an onion is one of them. There is no such thing as a chopped onion: these are only irregularly diced ones.

Dicing an onion takes seconds and results in pieces so small that they are sure to dissolve into flavor-enhancing invisibility as a soup or stew progresses.

As with my other explanations on knife skills, this description is no substitute for classroom instruction and I am totally not responsible for you cutting yourself if you choose to try this.

Always use the end of your knife that's furthest from the handle--at least the last third, if not the last sixth. This gives you far more control.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Hone your chef's knife with a steel.
2. Begin breathing only through your mouth. Don't breathe through your nose for even a second until you're done dicing.
   
3. Cut the stem end off of your onion. Cut a portion of the root end off, being sure to leave the root intact.
4. Cut through the two ends of the onion such that half of the stem end and half of the root end remain in each of the hemispheres. Remove the skin.
5. Turn your knife at an angle tangent to the hemisphere (such that it points to the middle of the onion), beginning almost parallel to the board at the far right side of the onion. Cut almost all the way through the onion, but do not cut through the root. This will hold the onion together and make it easier to dice. Make incisions in 1/4" increments.
6. Turn the onion 90 degrees and slice it into 1/4" slices. The onion will instantly fall apart into tiny pieces.
   

Voila!

Beef Barley Soup

I honestly can't believe I didn't already have this recipe written up on the blog. Not a cold month goes by where I don't make this at least once, either with beef or with dark meat chicken: both work equally well.

Don't bother making this soup if you don't have homemade broth. The recipe is designed to emphasize each of the ingredients, so bad ingredients equal bad soup.

As with lamb, the meat will become tough if you allow it to reach a boil. I should probably measure the actual temperature I use with a meat thermometer and put it here.

The fundamentals are the use of mushrooms, onions, rosemary and butternut squash--and, of course, the technique. There is a good deal of give in how to make the stock. I often use a half a cup of fresh cider (or a bottle of hard cider or brown ale) in place of the apple. Use beers only with beef; avoid them with chicken. Do not use wine, light-colored beers or porters. Don't use sweet potatoes; every time I try using sweet potatoes, I regret it.

The recipe, as written, gives a soup so hearty you can almost eat it with a fork. Add more broth if desired.

INGREDIENTS:

• 10 cups homemade chicken broth
• 2 lbs. shoulder chuck, trimmed and cut into 1" cubes (or boneless chicken thighs, cut in half)
• 1 sour apple, finely minced (food processor is fine)
  
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 10 oz. crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small (1 to 1 1/2 lb) butternut squash, cut into 3/4" cubes
• 2 yukon gold potatoes, cut into 3/4" cubes
  
• 4-6 cloves garlic, crushed
  
• 1 cup barley, rinsed
  
• 1/3 oz. fresh rosemary, removed from its stem
• 1 tsp sugar
  
• Olive oil for sauteing
• Salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the beef and sear on all sides until brown. Remove and set aside.
3. Add more olive oil if needed. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the onions, garlic and sugar; sauté until the mixture begin to turn golden, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté for 5 more minutes.
5. Add the apples and rosemary; continue to sauté for a few minutes more.
6. Add the dry barley and continue to sauté for 5 minutes more, stirring constantly. The barley will absorb liquid from the other ingredients and roast slightly.
7. Add the beef and the remaining vegetables; mix thoroughly.
8. Pour broth over mixture; cover and set heat to low. Allow to cook for approximately 1 1/4 hours, being careful to keep heat just below a boil.
9. Add salt to taste.

PAIRINGS: Serve with hard cider or brown ale.