Brunoise and macedoine

Brunoise and macedoine

Small, even cubes that cook quickly and predictably

The technique

A brunoise is made of 2 mm cubes. A macedoine is made of 5 mm cubes. First, cut thin slices, stack them to cut even batons, then turn the stack to slice perpendicularly. The result: very clean dice, all the exact same size.

When to use it

For vegetables that need to cook quickly and evenly: carrots, celery, and onions for a sauce base, or a garnish for a cold soup. Brunoise also works as an elegant garnish on a plate, while macedoine is well suited for mixed salads and vegetable side dishes.

Common pitfalls

1. Uneven batons create irregular dice; some will be cooked, others raw
2. Rushing the process crushes the vegetable instead of slicing it cleanly
3. Piling the stack too high causes the batons to slip under the blade

The visual cue

All the diced pieces should fit in the bowl of a teaspoon with no visible difference in size. If you are unsure between two sizes, aim for 2 mm for the brunoise: this is the size that cooks in just a few seconds in hot broth.