Mandolin Slicer

Have you ever used a mandolin slicer?

Well, the mandolin is a favorite kitchen utensil of ours that is used to make thin and symmetrical cuts. It is a quick, efficient way to slice fruits, vegetables, and even some cheeses. This saves us so much time when preparing dishes for our clients and allows us to focus on other aspects of production. There are two main styles of a mandolin; one is handheld and the other has a stand. The handheld version is typically smaller so you might feel more comfortable starting with a standing one. 

For those who have never used a mandolin before, the blade  can be adjusted to different widths for thinner or thicker cuts. Always use the safety guard!! Speaking from personal experience, your fingers will be happy that you did. 

Some mandolin’s come with multiple blades to produce unique style cuts, like the julienne. Our favorites are making matchstick carrots for salads, thinly sliced potatoes for chips, and shredding cabbage for slaw.

Perfect your use of the mandolin with this easy veggie recipe. Use the mandolin for the onion, zucchini, and tomato. It will come together in no time!

Example of how to layer the zucchini

Cut the onions from top to bottom to get perfect rings

Veggie Casserole

Ingredients:

1 Small Sweet Potato

1 Red Bell Pepper

1 Small Carrot

1 Zucchini

1 Small Purple Onion

1 Tomato

1 Cup Bread Crumbs

½ Cup Parmesan Cheese

½ Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

½ Tbsp. Chopped Basil

Salt

Black Pepper

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Lightly oil a casserole dish or a regular tin pan. Wash & peel the sweet potato and carrots. Then cut them into ½ inch same size cubes. Add the bell pepper by cutting the pepper into inch long rectangles. Place the cut vegetables at the bottom of the tin. This is going to give the casserole texture. Lightly oil and add some salt and pepper. 

Now for the onion, zucchini, and tomato featuring the mandolin. First, thinly slice the onion and layer the onion circles on top of the sweet potato, carrot, and pepper mixture. Once the onion has covered the first layer of vegetables, start to slice the zucchini into ¼ inch-thick pieces. Layer the zucchini so they slightly overlap. Drizzle with oil and season with additional salt and pepper. Cut the tomato into ¼ inch-thick slices from side to side. The tomato will keep adequate moisture in the dish. Lay the tomato slices on top of the zucchini and season again with salt and pepper 

Chop the Basil into small strands and add both basil and Parmesan to the breadcrumbs.

Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top of the casserole and bake for 45 minutes.

We hope this recipe inspires you to use a mandolin.