Mandoline

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This article is about the cooking utensil. For the musical instrument, see Mandolin.

A mandoline (pronounced man doe lean) is a kitchen utensil consisting of two flat working surfaces, one of which can be adjusted downward from the other. A razor sharp blade is mounted on the fixed surface in the middle at a steep angle to the sides. An item of food that is to be sliced is pressed against the adjustable surface and moved into the blade and onto the fixed side so that a slice, which can be very thin, falls below the surfaces as it is cut by the blade. This is a dangerous utensil and food preparers are required to wear a metal glove on the pushing hand. Other blades perpendicular to the main blade are often mounted on the moveable surface so that the slice is cut into strips. The mandoline juliennes in several widths and thicknesses. It also makes slices, waffle cuts and crinkle cuts with firm vegetables and fruits. One of the advantages of using a mandoline is that the slices will be uniform in thickness, which is important with foods that are deep-fried or baked (e.g. potato chips).

The tool has been popularized among non-professional and casual cooks, in the form of a Japanese-made plastic version, without many of the attachments found on professional models.