Mandoline slicers (which you might also see spelled “mandolin” outside of the U.S.) are kitchen tools designed to finely slice or grate foods. ... The safest and best mandoline slicers feature a rubber base to prevent slipping, plus a food holder or guard of some kind to separate your hands from the very sharp blade.

Is a mandoline slicer worth it?

Mandoline slicers are useful for getting perfectly even cuts, especially when you're trying to make them extra thin. Sure, a sharp knife will do the trick, but mandolines guarantee perfection and uniformity. They can be used for everything from potatoes for scalloped potato dishes to eggplant for parmesan or grilling.

What can I do with a mandolin slicer?

• Fruit salads. ...
• Classic salads. ...
• Cheese board spreads. ...
• Fantastic coleslaw. ...
• Tomato, basil and mozzarella sandwich. ...
• Veggie chips. ...
• Onion slices for caramelized onions on beef burgers. ...
• Expertly cut potato gratin.

How do you not cut yourself on a mandolin?

1. Keep your blade sharp: Like with kitchen knives, a sharp blade gives you more control so you don't accidentally cut yourself. ...
2. Keep it stable: Rest the mandoline on a flat surface so it isn't wobbling while you slice.

Can you cut cheese on a mandolin?

Cheese. A mandoline isn't just for fruits and vegetables. You can use it to slice or grate any firm cheese. Incidentally, I've also used mine for chocolate.

How to Use a Mandoline

Why do I need a mandoline slicer?

A mandoline—with an e at the end—is a kitchen tool no one should be without. The key benefits to using a mandoline are speed and uniformity in slicing, shredding and sometimes grating. Traditionally used to cut prep time to a minimum when making gratins, slaws and french fries, mandolines are tremendously versatile.

Can you cut meat with a mandolin?

The mandoline is designed to slice the meat. ... The mandoline is a very good way to cut your food. However, it is not strong enough to slice through the layer of fat on your food, which a lot of meat has. You need to make sure that the food is clean and free of all fat before you start using a mandoline with it.

Do chefs use mandolins?

Most chefs can dazzle home cooks with their knife skills, but even they cannot perform such precision on yams and apples. Their secret, the tool that no chef would live without, is the mandoline. With this slicing tool, they can cut carrots on an angle into exactly one-sixteenth-inch slices.

Can you slice lemons with a mandolin?

Be very careful when using a mandolin--they're extremely sharp! I find a pair of cut resistant gloves far more useful than that pokey stabby fruit and vegetable holder thing that comes with some mandolins. Press the thin slices of lemon into the cookie dough. ... They just needed more time with the lemon slices.

Can you cut french fries on a mandolin?

Fries of all Shapes and Sizes

Consistent, perfectly cut French fries—like the kind you find in a restaurant—can be tough to mimic at home with just a knife. ... The mandoline makes it easy to make mountains of delicious fries, of all kinds.

What is the purpose of mandolin?

A mandoline (US, /ˌmændəˈliːn, -ˈlɪn/) or mandolin (British, /ˌmandəˈlɪn/, /ˈmandəlɪn/, /ˈmandl̩ɪn/), is a culinary utensil used for slicing and for cutting juliennes; with suitable attachments, it can make crinkle-cuts.

Are Mandolines safe?

Overall, using a kitchen mandoline is a rather safe process. However, since this kitchen gadget does contain a sharp blade that can cause injury if not used or handled properly, it is important to follow a few mandoline safety rules to keep the user injury free.

Can you use a food processor instead of a mandolin?

Also, a food processor tends to be less precise and harder to control than a mandolin, which makes it less than ideal for achieving precise cuts. For this reason, most home cooks don't like to use a food processor for slicing, which requires more finesse.

Can you shred carrots with a mandolin?

Carefully, slide the carrots through the blade. Carrots are probably the most dangerous thing to slice on a mandoline. Make sure your hands are nowhere near the blade. ... It's pretty much impossible to slice carrots so evenly without this tool.

What is the difference between a mandolin and AV slicer?

As its name implies, a mandolin v slicer has a v shaped blade. ... When considering a mandoline v slicer or a straight blade, a v blade can help to mitigate this a bit by increasing the overall cutting surface, but it is still extremely sharp and you need to exercise particular caution in order to avoid injury.