Dice: brunoise, macédoine, medium and large
Four dice sizes — from 1–3 mm to 2 cm — and how to dice any firm vegetable evenly.
Dice is the most used cut, and it is almost always made the same way: square the vegetable into a block, cut the block into planks, the planks into sticks, the sticks crosswise. The size of the cube equals the thickness of the plank, so evenness is decided at the very first step.
| Name | Size | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Brunoise | 1–3 mm | sauces, dressings, salsa, garnish; fine brunoise is 1–1.5 mm |
| Macédoine, small dice | ≈5 mm | potato salads, rice, fillings; American schools use 6 mm |
| Medium dice | 1–1.5 cm | soups, stews, sautés, roasted vegetables |
| Large dice | ≈2 cm | long braises, roasting, stocks |
Step by step
- Trim the rounded sides to get a rectangular block: now the vegetable lies steady. Save the trimmings for stock or purée.
- Cut the block into planks of the thickness you need: 3 mm for brunoise, 5 mm for macédoine, 1–1.5 cm for medium dice.
- Stack 2–3 planks and cut them lengthwise into sticks of the same thickness.
- Gather the sticks into a bundle and cut crosswise at the same spacing — you get cubes.
For dishes where looks do not matter (stock, purée) you can skip squaring the block: the cubes will be imperfect, but nothing is wasted. Onions are diced differently — see the onion article.
On planks and sticks your fingers are especially close to the blade: hold the stack with a claw and move your hand back with every slice. Do not stack slippery vegetables (beets, potatoes) more than 2–3 planks high.