Now, remove the tough central stem. This is the part that, if eaten, will make you feel like you’re chewing on a garden fence. Fold each leaf in half lengthwise, then run your knife along the stem. Or, if you’re feeling primal, just rip the leaf away from it with your bare hands. (Go on, unleash your inner caveman. I won’t tell.)
You’ll end up with a pile of beautiful, dark green ribbons. At this point, roll the leaves into a tight cigar and slice them into thin strips. This is called a chiffonade, which sounds French and posh, but really just means “cutting lettuce into tiny green party streamers.”
