Open Umay
The mandoline
The blade that transforms any vegetable into perfect slices.
« Adjustable thickness from 1 to 10 mm depending on the model. »
What it is
A fixed blade mounted on a frame for cutting slices of perfectly even thickness, much thinner and faster than with a knife. It is used for gratins, vegetable chips, and raw vegetable carpaccios. Adjustable thickness from 1 to 10 mm depending on the model. It's the tool that makes flawless julienne or chips in just a few passes.
« Less useful for small quantities where a knife is sufficient. »
When to use it
For anything that requires a consistent thickness in large quantities: gratin dauphinois, root vegetable chips, very thinly sliced fennel salad. Less useful for small quantities where a knife is sufficient. As soon as presentation matters as much as taste, the mandoline gains in consistency what the knife loses in speed.
How to choose
Stainless steel blade, stable frame that does not slip on the countertop. Check that the safety guard protects the fingers well; this is the most important point. Japanese-style fine mandoline models are ultra-precise but also very sharp; save them for when you are already comfortable.
« - Hand-wash immediately after use, as the blade is very exposed - Dry thoroughly to prevent rust on non-stainless stee »
Maintenance
- Hand-wash immediately after use, as the blade is very exposed
- Dry thoroughly to prevent rust on non-stainless steel models
- Store with a blade guard or in its original case
- Regularly check that the safety guard holds securely in place
« It is the leading cause of serious cuts in home cooking, often deep ones. »
The common mistake
Slicing barehanded without the safety guard, thinking that this last little bit isn't worth the trouble. It is the leading cause of serious cuts in home cooking, often deep ones. Always use the guard to the very end, even for a tiny vegetable scrap, without exception.