My new mandoline Any hints or tips?

[anniez]

I finally got a mandoline today and - another learning curve!!! Here's what I've learned so far:

Juicy tomatoes don't work at all! Don't know about firmer ones, since I don't have any.

Cuke works well.

On the widest setting, can be used to take corn off the cob.

Having great difficulty on the thinner setting - the wider ones seem to work better.

Would love some of your ideas for using.

Thanks.

Annie

[Revvell]

Keep your fingers away from the blades. ;)

[sprouts2go]

1. Use the finger guard
2. Use the finger guard.
3. Adhere to rules 1 and 2

Do not toss in the dish water to wash your fingers WILL find it for you.

Okay after the safety rules. You can do zukes,cukes,yellow squash, radishes sweet potatoes,carrots,turnips actually most stuff LOL. Some things need to be pushed threw fast others slow. Softer tomatoes usually cut best on the thicker setting. Pepper rings and onions can usually be done on both settings.
If you don't have a spiralizer you can use the grater blade and shred up some squash noodles or make lasagna noodles with the adjustable thickness blade.

Practice practice and never take your eyes off the blade or the hand on the guard.

Sometimes softer toms can be slowly twisted thru the blade to slice it but firmer works best on mine and I can use thin as well as thicker settings.

I owned mine for 3 years before I would use it I was scared to death of it!!!

My friend has the same one and used it without the guard. She is now missing the whole side of her thumb!!!! :eek:

So if I stress safety it is with concern for your safety.

[Ilse W.]

I did not adhere to rules 1 and 2 above and can tell you from experience that a mandoline can take off a good chunk of your finger. I can also tell you that a finger seems to hold about a pint of blood...:(:(:(

[spicyfull]

Firmer Tomatoes will work. Read the Book of directions and you will be fine.

[JCB44]

I like to slice yams or sweet potatoes and then put a drop of agave on top and sprinkle with cinnomon, then dehydrate until crispy

[coconut-slave]

There are protective gloves made especially for use with mandolins. You can probably find one at a restaurant supply store...
You only need one unless you are some sort of ambedexterous, multi-tasking super hero of a vegetable chopper.
I suggest you bedazzle it with rhinestones or diamonds.

[anniez]

Thanks, everybody! Unfortunately, there is no book of instructions, just a sheet that really doesn't tell anything, so I very much appreciate the safety tips. I figured out how to change the blades. I am trying to use it a lot to get used to it, but it really does scare me.

Annie

[spicyfull]

Google the Name........and see what comes up.

[GingerGrant]

Try strumming a tune with one.... lol.

[AKRaw]

I will be getting one of the gloves. Just got my stitches out two days ago. Finger is still bandaged and painful. Yeah, I know, it comes with a guard, and after my husband removed the end of his finger (much more painful than my slice and get stitched up wound) you'd think I'd know better, but the guard on our mandoline is terrible. Most things don't work with the guard and when you do have a vegetable that works with the guard, the guard is awkward, awkward, awkward and makes it so slow I might as well be using a knife.

As for uses, I love to slice cukes and onions and marinate them... Thin slice toms and mushrooms for pizza toppings... thin slice broccoli stems for salads or dips... and use the french fry type blade (can't think what it's called) for slicing up lots of strips for use inside of roll ups and nori rolls, etc. We're a family of five so when I'm not slicing into my finger, the mandoline is really a great help.

Rhea

[Visorblue]

I will be getting one of the gloves. Just got my stitches out two days ago. Finger is still bandaged and painful. Yeah, I know, it comes with a guard, and after my husband removed the end of his finger (much more painful than my slice and get stitched up wound) you'd think I'd know better, but the guard on our mandoline is terrible.

Wow! :eek: Sorry to hear that. They make a pretty safe electric one.

[Visorblue]

Thanks, everybody! Unfortunately, there is no book of instructions, just a sheet that really doesn't tell anything, so I very much appreciate the safety tips. I figured out how to change the blades. I am trying to use it a lot to get used to it, but it really does scare me.

Annie

Sounds like the one I bought, a few drawings and the same minimal instructions in 400 languages. :)

I bought mine as the shaft on the slicing disc for my food processor broke and the price for a new blade is more than some food processors cost. Figured it would do what I needed (it was inexpensive). I wasn't sure I'd use it much so I didn't want to spend much. If I get another it will be the adjustable type as I can't slice as thin as I'd like.

The blade is very sharp. I use the hand shield and can get through a pile of stuff very quickly, until the last piece. It's too small for the shield to hold and I don't want to scrap it. So I push the last piece through using another veggie or something else other than my hand.

I only use the flat blade, no crinkle cuts or fries...yet.