Like many pros,
Jeremy Ford, winner of
Top Chef season 13, enthusiastically recommends a mandoline slicer—and says inexpensive, handheld plastic models are just fine. These tools, which allow you to slice fruits and vegetables to a uniform thickness (or thinness), will transform the way you handle vegetables. That
shaved Brussels-sprouts dish that seems to be on practically every new restaurant menu lately? Easy: Just run the sprouts over the blade (using the handy finger guard) and drizzle lightly with olive oil and lemon juice, or even Caesar dressing. Think you don't like radishes? Once they're paper-thin and sprinkled with sea salt, you may change your mind. Ford also likes to use a mandoline with beets and other root vegetables.
