Three practical cooking hacks from professional restaurant kitchens teach you efficient methods for prepping fresh herbs, making garlic paste, and handling parchment paper to streamline your cooking process.
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To easily chop and store herbs, first dampen a paper towel with water.
Wrap the damp paper towel tightly around a bunch of fresh herbs, like chives, to create a compact bundle.
The tight bundle makes it much easier to finely slice the herbs.
For storage, place the entire herb bundle inside a zip-top bag. The damp towel will keep them fresh for longer.
To make a fine garlic paste, start by peeling and roughly chopping a garlic clove.
Sprinkle a generous amount of coarse salt over the chopped garlic. The salt will act as an abrasive.
Turn your knife on its side and use it to press and drag across the garlic and salt, mashing it into a fine paste.
To prevent parchment paper from rolling up, first crumple it into a tight ball.
Unfurl the crumpled paper and spread it out on your baking sheet. It will now lay flat.
Store fresh chopped chives in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week; freeze in ice cube trays for up to three months.
Mince the garlic finely, then sprinkle coarse salt over it and use the flat of your knife to press and crush it into a smooth paste.
Store chopped fresh chives in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week, or freeze them in ice cube trays with a little water for longer storage.
Parchment paper curls due to heat and moisture. Wet the back of the parchment lightly before placing it on the baking sheet, or tuck the edges under the sheet edges to keep it flat.
These techniques are designed for fresh herbs. Dried herbs don't require chopping or the same storage methods, though the garlic paste technique applies to any recipe needing minced garlic.
No—these hacks use basic kitchen tools like a sharp knife and cutting board. The techniques themselves are what make them efficient.
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