Sharpening a Knife and Chopping Onions

Watch Delia's recipe for Grilled Spanish Onion Salad which is included in our video for Sharpening a Knife and Chopping Onions.

Before we even look at how to chop an onion, we're going to need a very sharp knife. So first of all, a quick lesson. Every kitchen needs a good set of knives, this one is a cooks knife and its good if it has a little bit of flexibility to it.  The other item is a sharpening steel and this will last you a lifetime. The best way to learn is to hold the steel in a horizontal position, infront of you, and starting with what's called the heel of the knife, holding the knife at an angle, slide the blade right down to the tip of the knife. Then do the other side.  Repeat this action several times, starting slowly, then speeding up.

Once you've learned the technique you may find it better to hold the knife and the steel at a different angle. The secret of sharpening is little and often.