Brunoise
Brunoise is the smallest classic dice, with cubes about 3 mm on each side, cut from a julienne and used in sauces, garnishes and fine fillings.
Also called Fine dice, Brunoised.
Brunoise is a very small, even dice. Each cube is about 3 mm (1/8 inch) on each side. A fine brunoise is half that, about 1.5 mm (1/16 inch). Cooks use it for vegetables that should almost melt into a sauce, or sit as a neat garnish on top of a dish.
How to do it
- Cut the vegetable into a julienne: matchsticks 3 mm (1/8 inch) square and about 5 cm (2 inches) long.
- Gather a small bundle of matchsticks and line them up with the ends level.
- Hold them with your fingertips curled under.
- Cut across the bundle every 3 mm (1/8 inch). Each cut gives a row of tiny cubes.
- For a shallot, skip the julienne. Halve it, make thin cuts toward the root without cutting through it, make one or two horizontal cuts, then slice across.
Why it works
Tiny, even pieces cook through in a minute or two and soften at the same time. They spread flavor evenly through a sauce or a filling without leaving chunks. In a clear soup or a plated dish, a precise brunoise also looks clean and deliberate.
How to use it
- Shallots for vinaigrettes, beurre blanc and pan sauces.
- Carrot, celery and leek as a fine mirepoix for delicate sauces.
- Bell pepper or cucumber scattered over fish or tartare.
Common mistakes
- Starting from uneven matchsticks. The cubes can only be as even as the julienne they come from.
- Using a dull knife. It bruises soft vegetables and leaves them wet.
- Rocking the knife over the pile until it turns to mush. That is a mince, not a brunoise.
- Trying to cut too many sticks at once so they spread out and the cubes come out uneven.
In recipes
"Brunoise", "fine dice" and "very finely diced" usually mean this cut. A small dice of 6 mm (1/4 inch) is a macédoine, twice the size.
Related terms
- JulienneJulienne is a knife cut that turns vegetables into thin, even matchsticks about 3 mm thick and 5 cm long, for salads, stir-fries and garnishes.
- DiceTo dice is to cut food into small, even cubes. Large, medium and small dice have set sizes, so everything in the pan cooks at the same rate.
- MacédoineMacédoine is a small, even dice of about 6 mm, and also a mix of fruit or vegetables cut that way and served as a salad, side dish or garnish.
- MinceTo mince is to cut food into the smallest pieces you can, finer than chopped, so garlic, ginger, shallots or herbs melt into a dish with no chunks.
- ShallotA shallot is a small, mild onion that grows in clusters, sweeter and gentler than a regular onion. Here is how to use it and what to swap in for it.
- Chef's knifeA chef's knife is the all-purpose kitchen knife, with a wide 20 cm (8 in) blade for chopping, slicing and mincing. Here is how to hold it.