NEIL'S RECIPES: COURGETTE, BASIL AND MINT SOUP WITH OVEN-DRIED TOMATO AND ANSTER CHEESE

by Cafe St Honoré in

"This is a great way to use up these wonderful vegetables when you have a glut. The recipe is so easy and it keeps well - it’s great served chilled in small amounts on a very hot summer’s day. The extra-virgin olive oil really works here. And do use the courgette flowers as a garnish." 

Image: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Image: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Serves 4

Prep time: 20 minutes; Cooking time: tomatoes up to 2 hours, soup 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 large courgettes, diced into rough 1-inch cubes
1 banana shallot, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small handful of basil and mint leaves, roughly chopped
100g grated Anster cheese, or any other hard, crumbly cheese
2 tomatoes
100ml extra-virgin olive oil
Good salt and pepper
A few edible flowers like cornflower blue or calendula to garnish

METHOD

Heat the oven to 150°C / Gas Mark 2

Remove the eyes from the tomatoes and give them a good wash. Cut them in half and lay them on an ovenproof tray. Sprinkle with good salt and pepper and trickle over some extra-virgin olive oil. Place in the oven for between 1 and 2 hours. Remove and keep in a tub in the fridge if you wish.

Heat 50ml of the oil in a pot and sweat the shallot and the garlic until soft, then add the courgette and season with good salt and pepper. Stir and add enough boiling water to cover and a bit more.

Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until soft - don’t let it dry out – then add the herbs and blitz with a hand-blender.

Add 3/4 of the cheese and blitz again - it doesn’t need to be super-smooth. Check the seasoning. 

To serve, pour the soup into warmed bowls and add the tomatoes and the extra cheese. Garnish with some edible flowers and an extra trickle of olive oil. Serve with some good bread.

FULL MOON DINNER AT THE SECRET HERB GARDEN

by Cafe St Honoré

It’s always an honour to be asked to cook at the magical Secret Herb Garden. Owners Hamish and Libby are such great hosts and create a truly special atmosphere for their guests. We thought you might enjoy seeing a few pictures from the night. The menu was simple, and replete with fabulous ingredients including a few from the garden. There’s nothing quite like cooking over an open flame outdoors. And oh how we wish we had room for a cheese cart at Cafe. Perhaps Neil’s favourite part of the evening!

NEIL'S RECIPES: HAM HOCK TERRINE WITH PICKLED CUCUMBER

by Cafe St Honoré in

"There are two elements in this recipe. The salted hock, or knuckle, from the pig, and the pickled cucumber. Together they are astonishingly good. The sharp, sweet vegetable does its job so well to cut through the rich, salty meat. I like to add other seasonings to the flaked meat like Arran mustard and lots of curly parsley. This is where you can have fun and do your own thing. Try different herbs that you may be growing, or play with different veg to go with it. Remember to keep the stock from cooking the hocks as it makes the best soup in the world. Just add a handful of peasemeal or red lentils."

Image: Paul Johnston,  Copper Mango

Image: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Serves 6 to 8
Cooking time: 4 hours plus overnight; Prep time: 45 minutes

 

INGREDIENTS

3 unsmoked ham hocks

1 stick celery

2 carrots, peeled 

1 onion, peeled and halved

6 peppercorns

2 bay leaves

1 sprig thyme

2 spring onions, finely chopped

125g unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons curly parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon Arran mustard, or any grain mustard will do
 

 

1 cucumber

500ml good cider vinegar

500g caster sugar

500ml cold water

2 star anise 

Good salt and pepper

A few mustard seeds

A few handfuls of salad leaves

A few radishes, sliced

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon Arran mustard 

A splash of vinegar

METHOD

Place the hocks in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add the celery, carrots, onion, peppercorns, bay and thyme and bring to just below a rolling boil and simmer for 4 hours, skimming off any residue and adding more water if required. Don’t over boil. 

Once cooked and the meat is falling off the bone, remove the hocks from the pot and allow them to cool slightly, before flaking all the meat off the bone. Retain the celery, carrots and onion. Keep the fat for another dish and retain the stock for soup. 

Roughly chop the carrots, onion and celery from the stock pot and add them to a bowl with the flaked meat, melted butter, mustard, spring onions and parsley.  Mix thoroughly and check the seasoning. 

Line a terrine mould or plastic tub with oiled cling film - oiled side down. Pack the terrine mix into the mould and fold over the cling film so it covers the terrine entirely. Place something heavy on top to press it down and refrigerate overnight. 

To make the pickled cucumber, bring the water, sugar and vinegar to the boil then add the mustard seeds, star anise and a teaspoon of salt. Add the cucumber to the pot - you may have to halve the cucumber if it’s too long - that’s fine as it won’t affect the final taste. Cover with a lid and simmer for about an hour until the cucumber is just soft. Then turn off the heat and leave it to cool in the pickling liquid. Once cooled, cut into slices and set to one side.

Make a dressing by mixing 4 tablespoons of olive oil, one teaspoon of Arran mustard and a splash of vinegar.

To serve, place a slice of the terrine in the centre of a plate and arrange the pickled cucumber around or on top. Garnish with a few salad leaves and slices of radish trickled with the dressing. Serve at once.

NEIL'S RECIPES: OX TONGUE, WATERCRESS, RADISH, SAUCE GRIBICHE

by Cafe St Honoré in

"I’m choosing this forgotten cut of meat because it is truly delicious, and very sustainable. It’s an old-school part of an animal that’s often discarded – an ingredient from our parents’ and grandparents’ generations. I love it. In this recipe it’s simply brined overnight then gently simmered in a rich veg stock and served with the piquant gribiche. Order the tongue ahead of time from your butcher."

Image: Paul Johnston,  Copper Mango

Image: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Serves 6 to 8

Brining time: overnight; prep time: 40 minutes; cooking time: 4 to 6 hours

INGREDIENTS

1 organic ox or field-raised ruby veal tongue, rinsed

400ml red wine

2 sprigs of thyme

3 cloves

200g brown sugar

1 clove of crushed garlic

200ml water

250g salt

1 large carrot, peeled

1 large onion, peeled

1 stick of celery

A few parsley stalks

6 peppercorns

2 bay leaves

2 hard boiled eggs, yolks and whites chopped separately

2 tablespoons cornichons, chopped

2 tablespoon capers, chopped

2 to 3 shallots, chopped

2 tablespoons curly parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons tarragon, chopped

6 to 8 tablespoons mayonnaise

Good salt and pepper to season

2 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil

A few handfuls of watercress and red chicory

A few radishes, sliced

METHOD

Make a brine by adding the red wine, thyme, cloves, brown sugar, garlic, water and salt to a pot and bringing to a gentle simmer. Once the sugar has dissolved, leave it to cool completely for a few hours. Once cold, submerge the ox tongue in the brine and leave in the fridge or in a cool place overnight. 

Remove the tongue from the brine and give it a rinse under a cold tap. Place the tongue into a clean pan and cover with cold water. Add the carrot, onion, celery, parsley stalks, peppercorns and bay leaves and cook on a low simmer for 4 to 6 hours until tender when pierced with a skewer at the thickest point. Once cooked, allow to cool slightly then remove the skin. Either press into a terrine mould or wrap in cling film and leave to cool thoroughly.

To make the sauce gribiche, combine the eggs, cornichons, capers, shallots, parsley, tarragon and mayonnaise in a bowl and mix well. Season to taste and stir in a little rapeseed oil. 

To serve, carve a few slices of tongue per person and top with the sauce gribiche. Garnish with salad leaves and radishes, then trickle over the remaining oil or your favourite dressing and season with a little more salt and pepper.
 

 

NEIL'S RECIPES: MACKEREL WITH SHAVED FENNEL AND CAPERS

by Cafe St Honoré in

"Mackerel is one of, if not my very favourite fish and there are a lot of them out there in our oceans. Absolutely delicious pan-fried with good oil, lemon and salt. A wonderful dish to eat with a simple salad of shaved fennel, and that sharp piquant hit from the capers in the sauce. Be careful not to burn the fish when cooking. Get the non-stick pan out for this dish!"

Image: Paul Johnston,  Copper Mango

Image: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Serves 1
Prep time: 10 minutes; cooking time: 4 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 fillets of fresh mackerel, all bones removed

1/2 fennel bulb, peeled

A few salad leaves

Chopped mixed herbs, like chervil and dill

1 tablespoon mini capers

1 teaspoon chopped parsley

1 teaspoon lemon vinegar, or any fruit vinegar will do

2 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil

Juice of half a lemon

Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Make the salad by slicing the fennel on a mandolin or cutting very thinly with a knife. Add this to a bowl with the chopped parsley, vinegar, capers, 1 teaspoon of oil and season with salt and pepper. Set to one side. 

Place a non-stick pan on a moderately hot hob and heat 1 tablespoon of oil, swirling it to coat the base of the pan. Ensure the fish is dry, then carefully place the fillets skin-side-down into the hot pan. Press down lightly with a fish slice, then season with salt and pepper. Ensure the skin is in contact with the oil and doesn’t warp in the heat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, season again, then carefully turn over and cook for 45 seconds. I prefer it to be cooked slightly under, rather than over. 

Remove the mackerel from the pan and place straight onto a plate. Garnish with the fennel salad and a few mixed leaves and herbs. Drizzle with the remaining oil and a good squeeze of lemon.

 

ONE PLANET PLATE LAUNCH

by Cafe St Honoré

On Tuesday 25th June we hosted a lunch to launch Food Made Good's One Planet Plate campaign in Edinburgh.

The campaign encourages restaurants to highlight dishes on their menus that address problems in the food system and gives chefs the opportunity to demonstrate to diners how they’re contributing to a better food future. Criteria for a One Planet Plate dish includes using more veg, no waste, a low carbon footprint, celebrating local ingredients, sourcing fish sustainably and using better meat. 

Our chef director Neil Forbes, said: “One Planet Plate is a great opportunity to highlight how the restaurant industry can make big differences by being more sustainable. Making a few small changes can have a huge impact on future generations. I encourage others to follow the One Planet Plate ethos and together we can strive for a more sustainable future.”

Visit the One Planet Plate website to discover sustainable recipes from restaurants across the globe, including Neil Forbes' recipe for mussels, with shallots, garlic, cream and tarragon.

NEIL'S RECIPES: BREAST OF DUCK WITH ASPARAGUS, RADISH AND NEW POTATOES

by Cafe St Honoré in

"I remember one of my first jobs as a young commis chef was to pluck hundreds of game birds after a shoot on the estate I was working on. I looked like something out of Ghostbusters with a hoover on my back, goggles, and a bandana to cover my mouth from all the dusty feathers. Oh, the fun I had in the plucking shed! This dish is very simple to cook. Make sure you season the meat before, during and after cooking, and crisp the skin by cooking mainly skin-side down in a heavy pan alongside the potatoes with some thyme and garlic. Use whatever veg you like. Kale, spinach or cabbage are all excellent, but remember to use any fat rendered from the duck when you season the veg before serving."

Image: Paul Johnston,  Copper Mango

Image: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Serves 2
Prep time: 20 minutes; cooking time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 free-range duck breasts
1 tablespoon cold-pressed rapeseed oil
4 to 6 spears of British asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
4 to 6 radishes, quartered
4 to 6 new potatoes, little sweet ones are great, scrubbed, par-boiled and halved
2 tablespoons duck fat
1 sprig of thyme
1 clove of garlic, smashed
Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Heat the oven to 180°C.

Season the breasts with good salt and pepper. Heat a pan on the hob then add the cold-pressed rapeseed oil and place the breasts skin-side-down in the pan, ensuring good contact is made between the skin and the pan. Turn over after cooking for 2 to 3 minutes and cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes. Then turn the breasts back to skin-side-down and add the thyme, garlic and potatoes to the pan and place in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes until the duck is cooked medium rare. The firmer the duck is to the touch, the more well-cooked it is. 

Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil and season with salt. Add the asparagus and cook for 2 minutes on a rolling boil. 

Remove the pan from the oven, and transfer the duck breasts to a warm plate to rest. Once rested, season.

Add the radishes and the cooked asparagus to the potatoes and stir in the duck fat. The pan should still be quite hot from the oven.

To serve, either slice the duck, or leave them whole as I prefer, and place on a plate with the asparagus, potatoes and radishes as a garnish on top.

NEIL'S RECIPES: ENDIVE, PEAR, BLUE CHEESE AND WALNUT SALAD

by Cafe St Honoré in

"I adore this dish. It is simple, tasty and one I come back to again and again. The bitter salad leaves cut through the rich pear. And the sweet, candied walnuts are a joy with the rich, creamy Lanark Blue. Add a few watercress leaves for a peppery kick and serve in the middle of the table for everyone to share."

Image: Paul Johnston,  Copper Mango

Image: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Serves 4 in one big bowl
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time : 1.5 hours including poaching pears

INGREDIENTS

2 red and 2 white endives, chicory or witloof, leaves removed and washed
2 conference pears
200g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod, split
Good salt and pepper
1 star anise
1 lemon
100g of good blue cheese, I like Lanark Blue
A handful of Californian walnuts, shelled
A few watercress leaves
Sunflower oil for shallow frying
Cold-pressed rapeseed oil for dressing

METHOD

Begin by poaching the pears. Remove the peel from each and rub with a halved lemon. Then bring a litre of water to the boil in a pan. Add half the sugar, the star anise, the split vanilla pod, the juice of half a lemon then plonk the pears into this stock syrup and poach for about an hour on a gentle boil covered with a greaseproof paper cartouche so the pears don’t oxidise during poaching. The harder the pear, the longer it will take to cook. Allow the pears to cool in the syrup. Remove the stalk and any seeds, and dice. Set to one side. 

To prepare the candied walnuts, make a stock syrup using the remaining sugar and 100ml of water and bring to the boil. Cook the walnuts in this solution for 5 to 7 minutes and allow them to cool in the syrup. Once cool, remove and drain on kitchen paper. Next, heat the sunflower in a deep frying pan and fry the walnuts until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper. 

To assemble the salad, add the endive leaves to a large mixing bowl and crumble in the blue cheese. Then sprinkle over the walnuts and the diced pear. Season with good salt and pepper and a drizzle of cold-pressed rapeseed oil and a little of the syrup from the pears. Mix gently.

To serve, place the salad into a serving dish and decorate with watercress, a little more oil and syrup, a squeeze of lemon juice and a final sprinkling of salt.

WHISKY TUBE MAP TASTING DINNER

by Cafe St Honoré

Wednesday 6th June | 6.30-8pm | £40 per person

We're delighted to be joined by Nikki Welch, creator of the Whisky TubeMap, for this very special event to celebrate the water of life.

Nikki will take you on take you on a whisky journey, exploring malts, blends and world whiskies with all the senses not just taste. She loves playing with whisky to show it in all it's facets, so she'll be mixing it into cocktails, adding extras and showing just how versatile whisky can be by pairing it with different flavours and textures of food.

If you think whisky can only be served as a dram, you're in for a delightful surprise. Nikki will be using the WhiskyTubeMap to guide your journey, but the really important bit is your palate. Can music change whisky's flavour, does whisky taste different if you can't see it, and how do you get the flavour of whisky without the burn - all questions Nikki will answer. 

Let Nikki guide you through the myths and truths of whisky with delicious food pairings as you sip and eat your way through the evening. 

Our head chef Joe has devised a menu to be enjoyed alongside whiskies selected by Nikki that she will surprise you with on the night. Expect to taste:

  • Oysters
  • Pickled beetroot, Katy Rodger's crowdie, apple, rye crouton
  • Crispy organic chicken skin, crème fraîche
  • Our cured organic smoked salmon, tattie scone
  • Grilled mackerel, shaved fennel salad, preserved lemon and capers
  • Benromach peat-smoked whisky, Mellis honey and oat parfait

The event will take the form of a sit-down meal with a selection of canapés to start, followed by a main course and dessert. Guests will enjoy 6 whiskies on the night: a welcome drink and 5 matched whiskies served as drams, cocktail and mixed drinks. 

To reserve a place, please call 0131 2262211 or email eat@cafesthonore.com.

NEIL'S RECIPE: WILD GARLIC GNOCCHI

by Cafe St Honoré in

"I really enjoy making these fluffy, light, little pillows of potato. The best way to make the mash is to bake the potatoes in their skins in the oven on a tray of salt. Cook until soft inside, half them, then run through a mouli or potato ricer. The mash must be dry. Don’t over work the dough or be tempted to add too much flour as they will become bullet hard after blanching. Keep them light and fluffy. I love them sautéed with butter to give a hint of texture on the outside."

Image: Paul Johnston,  Copper Mango

Image: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Serves 4
Prep time 40 minutes, cooking time 1.5 hours

INGREDIENTS

4 to 5 large, floury potatoes

250g plain flour, plus extra for rolling the dumplings

1 large egg

A handful of wild garlic, finely chopped

Good salt and pepper

2 tablespoons of hard cheese like a Mull or Barwheys, grated

A few knobs of butter

50ml extra virgin olive oil

1/2 bulb of fennel, shaved on a mandolin or thinly sliced with a knife

A few salad leaves

A few shavings of hard cheese like a good cheddar

A drizzle of garlic oil or pesto oil to garnish, optional

A few sliced radishes to garnish, optional

METHOD

Heat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6

Begin by baking the potatoes in their skins in the oven on a bed of salt until soft inside. This will take about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Allow to cool, then scoop out the flesh and mash.

Mix 500g of the mashed potato carefully with the plain flour, then add the egg and combine. Add the chopped wild garlic, season with salt and pepper and add the grated cheese. Mix well but be careful not to overdo it.

Roll the dough in a dusting of flour to make a long sausage shape about the width of £1 coin. Cut the gnocchi into 1-inch pieces, pinching each one as you cut.

To cook, place into a pan of salted, boiling water and cook until the gnocchi rises to the surface on a rolling boil. This should take about 2 to 4 minutes, then remove from the water and place onto a cloth.

Heat a non-stick pan and add half the olive oil and add the gnocchi. Then add the butter and colour the dumplings until they are golden and almost crispy.  Remove from the pan and season.

To serve, place several pieces of gnocchi on warmed plates with a handful of good salad, some fennel and a few shavings of hard cheese. To finish, I like to use a drizzle of wild garlic oil or the oil from any pesto. Also use some sliced radish if you like.

 

HOW TO FILLET MACKEREL

by Cafe St Honoré in

Neil takes us through a step-by-step guide of how to fillet mackerel. In just four easy steps, he makes it look so simple! 

Mackerel filleting 1.jpg

STEP ONE

Remove the head and guts.

Mackerel filleting 2.jpg

STEP TWO

Insert knife just above back bone and remove the fillet.

Mackerel filleting 3.jpg

STEP THEE

Using a filleting knife, remove the belly bones.

Mackerel filleting 4.jpg

STEP FOUR

Using the same sharp knife, insert it either side of the central pin bone line and remove all bones in one.

Mackerel filleting 6.jpg

VOILA!

The final boneless, skin-on fillet is ready for pickling, frying or grilling.

NEIL'S RECIPES: ORANGE AND ALMOND CAKE

by Cafe St Honoré in

"This recipe came to me by way of my head chef Joe, who discovered it in a Shaun Hill cook book, so thank you Shaun. Ensure you boil the oranges whole and make sure the water is topped up. It’s a simple method after that. I love serving this warm with a peat-smokey Benromach whisky ice cream - rich and decadent."

Image: Paul Johnston,  Copper Mango

Image: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Makes one cake

Prep time 4 hours 10 minutes, cooking time 1 hour 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 large oranges

6 whole eggs

300g caster sugar

250g ground almonds

1tbsp baking powder

25ml Grand Marnier

50ml water

A small handful of hazelnuts

Another 75g caster sugar

1tsp icing sugar

Candied orange peel to garnish, optional

Ice-cream to serve, optional

METHOD

Line a 10-inch spring-form high-sided cake tin with oil and greaseproof paper.

Boil the oranges whole for 4 hours then halve, remove any pips and blitz to a pulp in a food processor – this will take about 2 to 3 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

Make a praline by adding 75g of caster sugar to a pan and melting gently, allowing it to become dark and caramel in colour. This should take 3 to 5 minutes. Then stir in the hazelnuts and pour onto an oiled, clean surface like a non-stick, heat-resistant mat or a marble work surface. Once cooled, blitz in a food processor or crush with a rolling pin.

Use an electric whisk to mix together the eggs, ground almonds, 250g of sugar and the baking powder. Then add 300g of the orange pulp and whisk again.

Pour the mix into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour. It’s cooked when a cocktail stick comes out clean. Allow the cake time to rest in the tin.

Meanwhile, make a syrup by boiling the Grand Mariner with the remaining sugar and water and reduce by half. Prick the top of the cake with a cocktail stick and pour over the syrup using a pastry brush to ensure it fills the holes. Allow to cool.

To serve, place a slice of cake on a plate and dust with icing sugar. Place a large tablespoon of praline next to the cake and top with a scoop of ice-cream. Garnish the ice-cream with a piece of candied orange peel. We serve this in the restaurant with a delicious whisky ice-cream.

 

NEIL'S RECIPES: BEETROOT TARTE TATIN WITH A SALAD OF BLUE MURDER CHEESE, APPLE AND ENDIVE

by Cafe St Honoré

"It’s a classic dish, normally made with apple or pear but why not a veg. This recipe calls for beetroot, but fennel or shallots work just as well. It’s essentially just a simple caramel with blanched veg on puff pastry - very simple, tasty and impressive. Serve with an apple and endive salad topped with crumbled Blue Murder cheese to add that creamy richness. Herbs like sage or thyme work well in the caramel. And have a go at rough puff pastry too, far better than any shop bought stuff!"

Image: Paul Johnston,  Copper Mango

Image: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Serves 1
Prep time: 0.5 hours; Cooking time: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS

1 large or 2 small beetroots, scrubbed and cooked in water on the hob for 1 .5 hours until tender, peel skin off under running water

1 tablespoon of sugar

1/2 tablespoon of butter

1 sprig of thyme

1 disc of puff pastry, 1/2 cm thick cut to the same size as the blini pan

1 endive, cut into leaves and shards

A few toasted nuts

A few radish slices

A few slices of apple, cut into sticks

A few cubes of Blue Murder cheese or any other blue cheese of your liking

1 teaspoon of cold-pressed rapeseed oil

1 teaspoon Arran mustard

1 teaspoon honey

Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Firstly, make a caramel by melting the sugar and butter together in the cast iron blini pan until it’s golden and caramelised. Then take the sprig of thyme and place it into the centre of the caramel. Next cut the beetroot into chunky pieces, and place onto the thyme and caramel. Cover the beetroot with the disc of pastry and prick a hole into the top and bake into a hot oven 200°C for 15 to 20 minutes until golden and cooked.

Leave the tart to cool slightly otherwise it will fall apart. Whilst it’s resting, make the salad by adding the cheese to a bowl with the endive, apple, a few radish slices and some toasted nuts. Make a dressing by mixing together the oil, honey and mustard and drizzle over before giving it a season with salt and pepper.

To serve, carefully tip out the tart out of the pan and onto the plate and garnish with the salad. Serve immediately.

 

HOW TO CHOP AN ONION IN 6 EASY STEPS

by Cafe St Honoré

Ever wondered how chefs manage to chop onions so quickly and effectively? We have decided to share the secret. Follow our 6 easy steps...

Onion peel 2 WEB SIZE.jpeg

STEP ONE

Remove the top and bottom of the onion, keeping the root intact.

Onion peel 3 WEB SIZE.jpeg

STEP TWO

Remove the skin and the outer papery layer.

Onion slice 1WEB SIZE (Credit - Paul Johnston at Copper Mango)-CMPL5352_preview.jpeg

STEP THREE

Cut the onion in half, through the root. 

Onion slice 2 WEB SIZE (Credit - Paul Johnston at Copper Mango)-CMPL5366_preview.jpeg

STEP FOUR

Cut vertically down, towards the root, but not slicing though it.

Onion slice 3 WEB SIZE (Credit - Paul Johnston at Copper Mango)-CMPL5373_preview.jpeg

STEP FIVE

Cut horizontally, 2 or 3 times depending on the size required, again keeping the root intact.

Onion chop 2 WEB SIZE (Credit - Paul Johnston at Copper Mango)-CMPL5399_preview.jpeg

STEP SIX

Now you're ready to dice, until just the root remains.