How to Cut Onions and Shallots

Onions and shallots can be cut in a few ways depending on how they will be used. A Le Creuset Chef's Knife is the perfect tool to achieve three different cuts. To start, cut them in half lengthwise, peeling away the skin and roots then slicing off the tops. For a simple slice, hold the onion with your fingers curled then thinly slice crosswise discarding the root end. For julienne or French cut, remove both the top and bottom of the onion and slice lengthwise to your desired thickness. Julienned onions are the preferred cut for sauteing, stir fries or caramelized onions. To dice onions or shallots, thinly slice the lengthwise leaving the base of the root intact then holding the knife parallel to the cutting board slice three to four times crosswise towards the root. Finally slice crosswise again from top to bottom to finish the dice.