Batonnet

Batonnet is a French knife cut that makes even, rectangular sticks. The standard size is 6 mm (1/4 inch) square and 5 to 6 cm (2 to 2 1/2 inches) long. The name means "little stick". Cooks use it for raw vegetable platters, stir-fries and fries, and as the step before a small dice.

How to do it

1. Peel the vegetable if needed. Carrots, potatoes, celery root and zucchini (courgette in the UK) all work well.
2. Square it off: cut a thin slice from each rounded side so you have a flat, rectangular block that will not roll.
3. Cut the block to 5 to 6 cm (2 to 2 1/2 inches) long.
4. Slice the block lengthwise into planks 6 mm (1/4 inch) thick.
5. Stack two or three planks and slice them into sticks 6 mm (1/4 inch) wide.

To go further, line up the sticks and cut across them every 6 mm. That gives you a small dice, also called macédoine.

Why it works

Pieces of the same size cook in the same time. If some sticks are twice as thick as others, the thin ones go soft or burn while the thick ones are still raw in the middle. Squaring the vegetable first also makes it stable on the board, which is safer.

Common mistakes

• Skipping the squaring step. A round vegetable rolls under the knife and the sticks come out uneven.
• Cutting planks of different thickness, then trying to fix it at the stick stage.
• Using a dull knife, which crushes the vegetable instead of slicing it. Keep a sharp chef's knife for this cut.
• Throwing away the trimmings. Use them in stock, soup or a purée.

In recipes

"Cut into batons", "cut into sticks" and "batonnet" usually mean this cut. A recipe that says "baton" may mean a larger stick, about 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick. A julienne is the thinner version, about 3 mm (1/8 inch) thick.