How can I get my food processor (Dualit XL1500) to make 'chip' shaped veggies?

shiphen

Hi

I have just bought a food processor to chop my veggies. The problem is although my Dualit (XL1500) does come with a "Julienne" disk/blade, the veggies that it makes are too fine for a nice casserole and everything seems to be either very flat/wheel shaped or chopped far too fine!

Is it possible to get any additional spare cutting disks/blade other than the ones that come with the Dualit XL1500 (which I have just bought)?

If not perhaps I could MAKE one by modifying a disk from a different brand and put it on my Dualit (?).

Basically I want to make large "chip" shaped vegetables, rather than just slices or very fine strips..

Any thoughts?

With thanks

J

Owain_Moneysaver

The accessores are shown here
http://www.dualit.com/products/xl1500
The Adjustable disc goes up to 7.5mm.

If you want to make chips you need a chipper not a food processor. Consider getting a mandoline or a food dicer

shiphen

Thanks Owain

The thing is that all the accessories listed do actually come with device when you buy it. In fact there is also a "Julienne" device that is not shown on that page.

However like I say none of the accessories that come with the device perform very well for making a stew or chips (i.e. square cross-section slices or reasonable size e.g. 1x1cm)

The Food dicer you cite looks not only very slow and fiddly to use but also looks like a mighty pain to wash up. So any time saved cutting things up is wasted washing up afterwards.

A good quality mandolin could be the answer - I shall investigate.
However having just bought my food processor I am still determined to put it to work!

I am wondering if other makes/brands of food processor come with blades that do "chipping" or larger crossectional area "julienne(s)". If so, because I am quite good at DIY perhaps I could modify the blade to make it work on my Dualit (!).

J

Leif

For coarse strips it's probably easiest to use a sharp cooks knife. I use a Global G2. It is far quicker than using a processor, unless there are large quantities to cut. A good quality cooks knife makes cutting much easier than a cheap knife. As you say, all these tools take too long to setup, and wash. I suspect Chinese chefs use knives rather than tools, albeit a Chinese vegetable knife, even though strips of vegetables are a common ingredient in Chinese food.

shiphen

> For coarse strips it's probably easiest to use a sharp cooks knife.

I use a Robert Welch knife - which is a well-balanced work of art, very tactile and razor sharp. BUT what I dont like is that veggies with medium/high water content (e.g. tatties, butternut squash) stick to the side of the blade as you chop... and then if you are working fast they start flying off everywhere. Rather irritating and bl**dy messy!

http://www.robertwelch.com/Products/Default.aspx?id=1101691&tid=85

I even have one with the dumples on it but STILL the pesky veggies stick to it.

Probably my knife skill aren't good enough. Apparently you are supposed to use a lot of wrist action in order to make good use of the curved base of these knives...

To be honest, as well as time saving it partly a lifestyle thing... I just HATE the inefficiency of the veggie-slices clinging to the knife, and then stacking up on top of each other than then flying off in a disorderly manner all over the working surface!

Meanwhile I am going to try a mandoline (this one is from Zyliss which seems quite well made...):
http://www.johnlewis.com/231633086/Product.aspx

It looks like a pain to wash up! But I have discovered that if you rinse under warm water IMMEDIATELY after use, then washing up is fairly trivial even for food processors...

J