To julienne a vegetable means to cut it into thin and uniform sticks. It is very important to always wash both the vegetables and the working utensils before starting. The round-shaped vegetables will first be transformed into parallelepipeds, then cut to the right length and then sliced into small sticks of uniform thickness. To julienne the onions, you can use a slightly different method.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Cut the Julienne Vegetables Using the Knife
Step 1. Wash the knife, cutting board and vegetables
Clean the blade and the surface of the cutting board with warm soapy water, then rinse both carefully. Vegetables do not need to be washed with soap, but rinse them thoroughly under hot water, preferably using a cloth or a special brush to scrub them.
Use a sharp, non-serrated knife. The ideal would be to use one specially designed for slicing vegetables, but it is not mandatory. The important thing is to choose a well-sharpened knife, which allows you to obtain clean cuts
Step 2. If necessary, peel the vegetables
Generally potatoes and carrots need to be peeled before being julienned, but the choice is up to you, based on how you intend to eat them. If you don't intend to peel the potatoes, at least remove any bruised or sprouted parts.
If you have chosen to peel them, use a vegetable peeler or a small sharp knife
Step 3. The round-shaped vegetables are transformed into parallelepipeds
If necessary, remove the stem or roots. Cut one side at a time to give the vegetable a rectangular shape. The parts you removed can be thrown away or sliced evenly and mixed with the rest of the already cut vegetables.
Regularly shaping vegetables before cutting them is especially useful with potatoes, zucchini and squash
Step 4. Cut them into pieces about 5-8 cm long
If you plan to eat your raw vegetables, they can be even slightly longer, but if you intend to cook them this is the best length. It is not necessary that each piece has the same length, the important thing is to divide the vegetables evenly.
According to the general rule of thumb for julienne you should be able to eat the stick in one bite. The fact remains that you can also create longer pieces if you wish
Step 5. Slice the vegetables lengthwise
When julienned vegetables, the recommended thickness is between 0.15 and 0.3 cm. Use the knuckles of your free hand (not the one holding the knife) as a guide to determine the thickness.
Be careful not to cut yourself while slicing
Step 6. Stack 2-3 slices and cut again
Flip the slices you just cut so they line up vertically on top of each other. At this point, cut them again into sticks with a thickness of between 0.15 and 0.3 cm. The goal is for them to be nearly identical on each side.
Method 2 of 3: Cut the Julienne Onions Using the Knife
Step 1. Remove the base and top of the onion
Both are not suitable for julienne, so discard and throw them away. It's best to remove the peel right away as well to get ready to slice the heart.
- Onions generally have a firmer texture than most other vegetables, so it's important to make sure the knife blade is sharp before starting. A dull knife would make the process much more difficult.
- The base and the top of the onion must be eliminated with a clean and precise cut.
Step 2. Cut the onion in half
Since it will normally already have the right length for the sticks, there is no need to give it a rectangular shape or cut it into pieces. Simply divide it in half from top to bottom.
Step 3. Slice it diagonally, cutting it from the outside towards the center
Place the onion on the cutting board with the flat side facing down, then slice it at an angle that allows for uniformly thick slices. When you are near the center, the knife should be at a 90 ° angle. At this point, turn the part still to be sliced 180 ° horizontally, then continue cutting.
Repeat the same process with the other half
Method 3 of 3: Cut the Julienne Vegetables Using the Mandolin
Step 1. Place the mandolin on a solid surface
Some types of mandolin are equipped with an underlying container that allows you to collect the freshly cut slices. If yours doesn't, you can put any container underneath. Lay it firmly on the cutting board, table or kitchen worktop making sure it cannot slip during use.
Step 2. Choose the blade and set the thickness
Each model offers different options. If you have several blades available, find the one that works best for the vegetable and cut in question. If you also have the option to choose the thickness, modify it according to your needs.
- If you are unsure about the type of cut offered by the different blades, grab a potato to carry out various tests and find out which is the most suitable use for each.
- You can also test the different thicknesses available to decide which is the ideal one for the preparation you have in mind.
- Remember that mandolin blades can be incredibly sharp, so always handle them with extreme care.
- In addition to choosing the thickness, you may have the possibility to select different types of cut and texture based on the blades available. Again it is important to determine what the result will be in advance. If you want sticks, but you have mounted a blade to chop the vegetables, it will be impossible to obtain them.
Step 3. Cut the vegetable or fruit into smaller pieces
Most mandolins do not allow you to slice whole vegetables, especially the larger ones. If the pieces you plan to julienne seem too big for the blade, make smaller ones.
Step 4. Attach the piece of vegetables or fruit to the (safety) handle supplied with the mandolin
Its purpose is precisely to grab the products to be cut to protect your hands, so don't consider it just optional. Before you start cutting, always attach the piece of vegetables to the handle. As you slice, pay close attention to the position of your fingers so as not to risk getting them too close to the blade.
Even when using the handle correctly, it is possible that the fingers slide dangerously towards the blade, so it is important to always pay close attention to their position
Step 5. Move the piece of vegetable or fruit quickly back and forth
The mandolin blades are designed to work best when cutting is done quickly. Don't accelerate to the point of rocking the mandolin back and forth, but don't go too slow either.
- Pay attention to where the sliced veggie falls to make sure it does not get in the way of the blade as it piles up.
- Keep your hand steady on the handle as you slice.
