The Borner V-Slicer Multibox V5

Earlier this year, I received a Borner V-Slicer for review, courtesy of Kitchenware Direct. It was actually quite a few months ago that I first got it, and since then it's become an often-used and much-loved part of my kitchen kit. The slicer is small and easy to take apart and clean - so I find it very convenient when I need to chop, slice or grate a small amount (e.g. one or two carrots, potatoes or whatever), without needing to lug out the food processor.

It comes with three interchangeable slicers: a 7mm julienne, a 3.5mm julienne, and a plain slicer with adjustable thickness. It also, importantly, comes with a hand-guard. Remember to use the hand guard, as the blades are super-sharp!

So, let's have a look at a few of the things I've made with it! First up, a classic French grated carrot salad. (Or a "salade de carottes râpées" as it's disconcertingly called in French!) This is very easy, cheap, tasty and healthy. Yay! I think different people in France make this differently, but I like the grated carrots tossed with chopped parsley and chives, a tiny amount of grated garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil and a splash of white wine vinegar.

Speaking of carrot salads, I actually prefer Nigella's carrot and peanut salad, for which I used the 7 mm julienne insert.  

Peanut and Carrot Salad

The full recipe is available on Nigella's website, but in brief: slice carrots thickly, add salted peanuts, and toss through a dressing of red wine vinegar, peanut oil and a few drops sesame oil. I used purple and orange carrots for a pretty colour contrast, and sprinkled with chives because they taste so good!

My favourite blade on the slicer is the plain one, which I use to slice vegetables paper thin, way thinner than I can manage even with my sharpest knife.

Check out those onions! When they're sliced that thinly they practically melt when cooked. Perfect for making gravy, sauces or onion jam.

Finely sliced onions

A cute thing to make at home is a potato galette (a recipe I learned at Fast Ed's Jazz Apple Masterclass).  It's great as a side dish, but even better as dinner in its entirety! Super easy: you finely slice some floury potatoes, and layer them up in a non-stick frying pan that's been greased with melted butter.

Build up a few layers, brushing with a little melted butter in between each one (the starch in the potatoes and butter will help the slices to stick together). I generally go just under a centimetre thick - any thicker and the potatoes on the bottom will burn before the top potatoes cook through. (Although you could always turn the heat down low and clamp a lid on if you prefer a thicker galette!)

After about five minutes, or when the bottom is crispy and the potatoes are almost cooked (use a fork to test), flip the whole thing over using two egg flips and a great deal of confidence. (Or slide it onto a plate and then flip it back into the frying pan).

Ta-dah! Season generously with salt to serve. Super delicious!

Crispy potato goodness

Most excitingly, I also used the slicer to finely slice apples for an absolutely incredible apple pie. I'll be sharing the full recipe soon, but for now... a sneak peak!

Apple pie

Do you own a mandoline slicer? Do you love it or have you had any little accidents with it? What do you use it for?

Sarah received the Borner V-Slicer Multibox V5 courtesy of Kitchenware Direct.

Earlier this year, I received a Borner V-Slicer for review, courtesy of Kitchenware Direct. It was actually quite a few months ago that I first got it, and since then it's become an often-used and much-loved part of my kitchen kit. The slicer is small and easy to take apart and clean - so I find it very convenient when I need to chop, slice or grate a small amount (e.g. one or two carrots, potatoes or whatever), without needing to lug out the food processor.

It comes with three interchangeable slicers: a 7mm julienne, a 3.5mm julienne, and a plain slicer with adjustable thickness. It also, importantly, comes with a hand-guard. Remember to use the hand guard, as the blades are super-sharp!

So, let's have a look at a few of the things I've made with it! First up, a classic French grated carrot salad. (Or a "salade de carottes râpées" as it's disconcertingly called in French!) This is very easy, cheap, tasty and healthy. Yay! I think different people in France make this differently, but I like the grated carrots tossed with chopped parsley and chives, a tiny amount of grated garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil and a splash of white wine vinegar.

Speaking of carrot salads, I actually prefer Nigella's carrot and peanut salad, for which I used the 7 mm julienne insert.  

Peanut and Carrot Salad

The full recipe is available on Nigella's website, but in brief: slice carrots thickly, add salted peanuts, and toss through a dressing of red wine vinegar, peanut oil and a few drops sesame oil. I used purple and orange carrots for a pretty colour contrast, and sprinkled with chives because they taste so good!

My favourite blade on the slicer is the plain one, which I use to slice vegetables paper thin, way thinner than I can manage even with my sharpest knife.

Check out those onions! When they're sliced that thinly they practically melt when cooked. Perfect for making gravy, sauces or onion jam.

Finely sliced onions

A cute thing to make at home is a potato galette (a recipe I learned at Fast Ed's Jazz Apple Masterclass).  It's great as a side dish, but even better as dinner in its entirety! Super easy: you finely slice some floury potatoes, and layer them up in a non-stick frying pan that's been greased with melted butter.

Build up a few layers, brushing with a little melted butter in between each one (the starch in the potatoes and butter will help the slices to stick together). I generally go just under a centimetre thick - any thicker and the potatoes on the bottom will burn before the top potatoes cook through. (Although you could always turn the heat down low and clamp a lid on if you prefer a thicker galette!)

After about five minutes, or when the bottom is crispy and the potatoes are almost cooked (use a fork to test), flip the whole thing over using two egg flips and a great deal of confidence. (Or slide it onto a plate and then flip it back into the frying pan).

Ta-dah! Season generously with salt to serve. Super delicious!

Crispy potato goodness

Most excitingly, I also used the slicer to finely slice apples for an absolutely incredible apple pie. I'll be sharing the full recipe soon, but for now... a sneak peak!

Apple pie

Do you own a mandoline slicer? Do you love it or have you had any little accidents with it? What do you use it for?

Sarah received the Borner V-Slicer Multibox V5 courtesy of Kitchenware Direct.