Uses for Mandoline

FibroHiker

I won a Mandoline Professionnelle at a charity event last year and I haven't used it since. I owned a similar product in the past but pretty much just used it to slice potatoes for casserole dishes.

The only other thing I could think I might use it for would be to slice zucchinis really thin for various dishes.

If you own one, what do you use it for?

smoofinator

Onions! I make caramelized onions and this has made my life a lot easier.

LyndaBSS

Onions, squash, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, etc. The list is endless.

FibroHiker

smoofinator wrote: »

Onions! I make caramelized onions and this has made my life a lot easier.

I hadn't thought of that! Using the Mandoline would definitely help.

FibroHiker

LyndaBSS wrote: »

Onions, squash, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, etc. The list is endless.

I can see now how it would help with the cabbage and it would be so much easier than trying to chop it myself. I hadn't thought of using it with squash. I could definitely use it with yellow squash. Are there other kinds you would suggest?

LyndaBSS

Zucchini. I'm not a big squash person. I forgot. I also use it for tomatoes and cucumbers.

For cabbage, split it into 4 wedges (quarter it), then use mandolin for each quarter.

acpgee

I gave away my mandoline. Anything I need to do on the mandoline the food processor cant do?

LyndaBSS

I think of a food processor as more of a glorified blender. You can slice veggies with it?

99clmsntgr

It's really good for cutting off slices of finger tips and knuckles. Worst cuts I've ever had were on the friggin' mandoline.

Be sure to use your hand guard.

OldHobo

Primary use is complimenting the fiddle and banjo.

FibroHiker

acpgee wrote: »

I gave away my mandoline. Anything I need to do on the mandoline the food processor cant do?

I think it would be hard to get uniform cuts with a food processor.

FibroHiker

99clmsntgr wrote: »

It's really good for cutting off slices of finger tips and knuckles. Worst cuts I've ever had were on the friggin' mandoline.

Be sure to use your hand guard.

This is a concern for me I confess.

FibroHiker

OldHobo wrote: »

Primary use is complimenting the fiddle and banjo.

🥁🥁🌕!

kosseychick

I bought cut gloves that I wear when I'm using my mandoline.. helps protect my hands/fingers some

lx1x

kosseychick wrote: »

I bought cut gloves that I wear when I'm using my mandoline.. helps protect my hands/fingers some

Was gonna say..

PSA.. wear cutting gloves. Or pay attention while slicing..

missysippy930

Everyone I know has cut their finger at least once using one. 😉
I use mine primarily for scalloped/au gratin potatoes. I find my food processor safer for most veggies.

BarbaraHelen2013

aidydh wrote: »

acpgee wrote: »

I gave away my mandoline. Anything I need to do on the mandoline the food processor cant do?

I think it would be hard to get uniform cuts with a food processor.

I don’t have a mandolin (it’s in that group of kitchen gadgets that don’t quite make the grade in the ‘usefulness vs space to store’ equation - keen cooks with tiny kitchens will empathise!)

However, I’d agree that even my very high end food processor cannot always replicate the results of a mandolin. It’s hard to get uniform slices, both in terms of surface area and thickness. I’ve also been frustrated many times because I want to finely slice a courgette lengthways (or an aubergine), to use as a substitute for pasta in lasagne etc. Something you simply can’t do well without a mandolin as far as I can tell! So if you have one, and the space to keep it, I would hold onto it.

rainbow198

I love my mandolin! It's fast, easy to clean and it doesn't take up much space.

With it I make chips and fries out of potatoes with it, au gratin and scalloped potatoes, coleslaw for my spring rolls, julienne zucchini for noodles and just general slicing up fruits and veggies.

The first time I used it I partially chopped off a natural fingernail so now I use specific gloves when using it.

rheddmobile

I mainly use it for cucumbers, however I also have several recipes which use thinly sliced apples and pears. Caramelized onion and pear “pizzas” made on a pita bread with blue cheese is one. There’s another which involves rolling apple slices into little apple “flowers” and baking - involves filo and cinnamon and brown sugar iirc. Also, fancy ratatouille - slices of different veg stacked together, can’t remember the exact details, but it’s the French Laundry version from the Disney movie.

Definitely buy slicing gloves, it’s too easy to slip using the hand guard.

aries68mc

I have one but don't use it often. It's just easier to use a knife if I'm not doing a lot at once. But I would use it for slicing tomatoes, potatoes, zucchini, cucumber, onions.

sijomial

1. Weight loss - but minimal impact as fingertips don't weigh much.
2. Life of crime - no fingerprints is a distinct advantage.

acpgee

I slice veggies with the food processor which has a thin and thick slicer, but the result is not super uniform as thickness depends on how hard you push down on the veg. If I need thin lengthwise slices of say, a courgette, I use the vegetable peeler.

FibroHiker

missysippy930 wrote: »

Everyone I know has cut their finger at least once using one. 😉
I use mine primarily for scalloped/au gratin potatoes. I find my food processor safer for most veggies.

I will definitely order some gloves! Seems to be a necessity.

FibroHiker

rainbow198 wrote: »

I love my mandolin! It's fast, easy to clean and it doesn't take up much space.

With it I make chips and fries out of potatoes with it, au gratin and scalloped potatoes, coleslaw for my spring rolls, julienne zucchini for noodles and just general slicing up fruits and veggies.

The first time I used it I partially chopped off a natural fingernail so now I use specific gloves when using it.

Making veggie chips in the oven sounds like a great idea.

FibroHiker

rheddmobile wrote: »

I mainly use it for cucumbers, however I also have several recipes which use thinly sliced apples and pears. Caramelized onion and pear “pizzas” made on a pita bread with blue cheese is one. There’s another which involves rolling apple slices into little apple “flowers” and baking - involves filo and cinnamon and brown sugar iirc. Also, fancy ratatouille - slices of different veg stacked together, can’t remember the exact details, but it’s the French Laundry version from the Disney movie.

Definitely buy slicing gloves, it’s too easy to slip using the hand guard.

Yum!

FibroHiker

BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »

aidydh wrote: »

acpgee wrote: »

I gave away my mandoline. Anything I need to do on the mandoline the food processor cant do?

I think it would be hard to get uniform cuts with a food processor.

I don’t have a mandolin (it’s in that group of kitchen gadgets that don’t quite make the grade in the ‘usefulness vs space to store’ equation - keen cooks with tiny kitchens will empathise!)

However, I’d agree that even my very high end food processor cannot always replicate the results of a mandolin. It’s hard to get uniform slices, both in terms of surface area and thickness. I’ve also been frustrated many times because I want to finely slice a courgette lengthways (or an aubergine), to use as a substitute for pasta in lasagne etc. Something you simply can’t do well without a mandolin as far as I can tell! So if you have one, and the space to keep it, I would hold onto it.

FibroHiker

Ha! Forgot to type my comment.

I'm hoping to use it to make veggie substitutes for pasta.

There are some good ideas here that I will search for specific recipes!

acpgee

aidydh wrote: »

Ha! Forgot to type my comment.

I'm hoping to use it to make veggie substitutes for pasta.

There are some good ideas here that I will search for specific recipes!

I use a spiralizer for veggie pasta stretchers. It does take more room to store than a mandolin, but if you hand wash using a brush instead of a sponge there is no danger of removing fingertips. If you go for a spiralizer I would recommend the vertical feed type as opposed to horizontal feed. Less work (gravity) and less vegetable waste. The horizontal feeds leave waste about the size of a pencil throughout the length of the vegetable. Vertical feed wastes a disc about a quarter of an inch thick.

mjbnj0001

99clmsntgr wrote: »

It's really good for cutting off slices of finger tips and knuckles. Worst cuts I've ever had were on the friggin' mandoline.

Be sure to use your hand guard.

I also have a cut-resistant glove. I sometimes make the mistake of not using the hand guard when the piece I'm slicing is awkward ("just a couple more passes and I'll use the guard ..." becomes "oops, one pass too many, where's my fingertip" LOL).

OldHobo

I've had one for about twenty years. Used it maybe five times.

1. I'm pretty handy with a knife.
2. I'm just not that fussy.

mjbnj0001

OldHobo wrote: »

I've had one for about twenty years. Used it maybe five times.

1. I'm pretty handy with a knife.
2. I'm just not that fussy.

Agreed. Me too. But sometimes, food is an art form, too.