Uses for Mandoline

FibroHiker
FibroHiker Posts: 398 Member
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?
«1

Replies

  • smoofinator
    smoofinator Posts: 635 Member
    Onions! I make caramelized onions and this has made my life a lot easier.
  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
    Onions, squash, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, etc. The list is endless.
  • FibroHiker
    FibroHiker Posts: 398 Member
    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
    FibroHiker Posts: 398 Member
    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
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
    edited July 2019
    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
    acpgee Posts: 7,956 Member
    I gave away my mandoline. Anything I need to do on the mandoline the food processor cant do?
  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
    I think of a food processor as more of a glorified blender. You can slice veggies with it?
  • FibroHiker
    FibroHiker Posts: 398 Member
    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
    FibroHiker Posts: 398 Member
    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
    FibroHiker Posts: 398 Member
    OldHobo wrote: »
    Primary use is complimenting the fiddle and banjo.

    🥁🥁🌕!
  • kosseychick
    kosseychick Posts: 244 Member
    I bought cut gloves that I wear when I'm using my mandoline.. helps protect my hands/fingers some
  • lx1x
    lx1x Posts: 38,330 Member
    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
    missysippy930 Posts: 2,577 Member
    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
    BarbaraHelen2013 Posts: 1,940 Member
    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
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    edited July 2019
    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
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    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
    aries68mc Posts: 173 Member
    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.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,956 Member
    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
    FibroHiker Posts: 398 Member
    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
    FibroHiker Posts: 398 Member
    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
    FibroHiker Posts: 398 Member
    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
    FibroHiker Posts: 398 Member
    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
    FibroHiker Posts: 398 Member
    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
    acpgee Posts: 7,956 Member
    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
    mjbnj0001 Posts: 1,266 Member
    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
    OldHobo Posts: 647 Member
    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
    mjbnj0001 Posts: 1,266 Member
    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.