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Spiralized vegetables and vegetable rices

Franci

By Franci
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mgaretz

mgaretz

Posted
Posted (edited)

I didn't get a chance to play with it yesterday, but I did today.  Here's what I tried:

 

1. Potato to make curly fries.  It cut the potato fine.  I tried to make the fries by tossing them with some olive oil and salt and baking them at 425F with the convection on in my BSO.  After about 25 minutes some were a little under done, others burnt and some just right.  If anyone has a method for cooking these without actually frying them, I'm all ears!

 

2.  Carrots.  Somewhere on the web I saw very nice carrot noodles.  This won't make them unless maybe you have a really, really fat carrot.  Anybody else made these?

 

3.  Zucchini noodles:  These came out great.  Picture below.  Some in the bowl are cut with the fine blade, some with the thicker blade.

 

4.  Apple, peeled, cored and sliced.  Worked like a charm.

 

Overall I like it.  Easy to use and not much wasted on the ends.  My only complaint is that there's not a huge difference between the two "noodle" blades.  It's easy to clean.  You can't immerse the base, but it really didn't get that dirty, just a little spritz from the apple near the mixer end and easily wiped off with a damp sponge.  The blades are easy to clean, they basically rinse off (drying takes some patience).  The exception is the holder end.  There is a main metal spike and a black plastic end with small spikes.  The metal is easy to clean, the other spikes not so much.  First, it's all black and bit hard to see the shmutz, but a dish brush solves the problem. The blades and spikey thing are top dishwasher safe, but I'm not putting mine in there.

 

zoodles.jpg

Edited by mgaretz (log)
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andiesenji

andiesenji

Posted
Posted

I think I have used my spiralizer most often on carrots, daikon radish - for inclusion in coleslaw, which is terrific.

on zucchini and other longish summer squash - straight neck yellow.

 

I ruined a blade on a piece of butternut squash.

 

I did pretty well with a not quite ripe honeydew melon - pickled the "strings" with an excellent result but it was quite hard.

 

The plastic one does not work well with very hard vegetables.  I do have an old vertical spiralizer which does better on kohlrabi, rutabaga, turnips and sweet potatoes - some sweet potatoes are quite hard - the white ones. 

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Anna N

Anna N

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mgaretz,

If you are in search of giant carrots your nearest Asian market is probably your best bet. I am always astounded to see the size of the carrots in my Asian markets.

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mgaretz

mgaretz

Posted
Posted

mgaretz,

If you are in search of giant carrots your nearest Asian market is probably your best bet. I am always astounded to see the size of the carrots in my Asian markets.

I'll be right by there today so I will check it out, thanks!

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Shelby

Shelby

Posted
Posted

Is there any culinary worth to things like zucchini "noodles"? Especially with large zucchini, I've find it difficult to imagine the "pasta" tastes like much. Or is it just about the presentation?

 

(BTW: I assume everyone on this thread has listened to Dave Arnold's Veggetti dialogues? ;-)

I'm a pasta freak who could eat pasta morning, noon and night.  

 

When I spiralize I use the bigger zukes.  I salt the "noodles" and let them sit for a while.  They really do soften and take on a pasta-like mouthfeel.  I don't cook them, I just toss them in a hot/warm sauce.  Now I'm not saying that I would never go back to real pasta, because I couldn't do it. BUT, if you're cutting the carbs, it's a pretty good sub.  Oh and another thing I do is mix pasta with the zukes.  I figure every little less carb helps right?  

 

So, after that ramble my answer is yes, they are worthy.

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gulfporter

gulfporter

Posted
Posted

I bought this el-cheapo one a few months ago.  I don't know that it'll work with a carrot (haven;t tried).  BTW, the 'holder' that comes with it is useless....just use a  paper towel to hold the zucchini.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vegetable-Spiral-Slicer-Fruit-Cutter-Peeler-Kitchen-Tool-Spiralizer-Twister-New-/311291359414?hash=item487a6930b6

 

I've used it a few times for cold zucchini salad recipes I found here.  Haven't used it in a few weeks.  

http://www.buzzfeed.com/melissaharrison/vegetable-noodle-recipes#.rnROeD3EO

 

For under 10 bucks, get one of these, see if you like it, use it, before making a Kitchenaid investment.  

 

Re: using vegetables as a pasta substitute, that's not popular at our house.   BUT, I do lighten pasta by using half fettucine and half carrot strips.  The carrot strips are simply long threads made via a standard vegetable peeler.  I usually top with grilled shimp and a light 'sauce' of olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and lemon zest, some chili flakes.  

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mgaretz

mgaretz

Posted
Posted

I put the zucchini noodles posted above into some soup last night.  They went in for just the last few minutes.  My wife knew that the noodles with green on them were zucchini, but she thought the all white ones were actually noodles!

 

soup2.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...
FauxPas

FauxPas

Posted
Posted (edited)

I bought this el-cheapo one a few months ago.  I don't know that it'll work with a carrot (haven;t tried).  BTW, the 'holder' that comes with it is useless....just use a  paper towel to hold the zucchini.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vegetable-Spiral-Slicer-Fruit-Cutter-Peeler-Kitchen-Tool-Spiralizer-Twister-New-/311291359414?hash=item487a6930b6

 

 

gulfporter, have you tried using your little spiralizer with any veggies other than zukes since this post? 

 

I've seen a few of those conical spiralizers around, like this one, which gets some pretty good reviews and has 4 removable blades (easier to clean?):

 

Brieftons NextGen Spiralizer

 

I find the Paderno a pain in the butt to store and also to haul out and set up. I like the idea of the simpler ones that can just be stored in a drawer. 

 

Anyone else tried some of these type? 

 

 

Edited to fix Amazon link. 

Edited by FauxPas (log)
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Smithy

Smithy

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, GlorifiedRice said:

I have 3 Spiralizers, The Veggetti, The Paderno, and I just found out I had a Benriner all these years cleaning out the garage,,

 

@GlorifiedRice, I think you need to test the devices and compare them...and then, of course, report here on your results. :)

 

I purchased a spiralizer on promo sale at one of my favorite kitchen stores earlier this year.  It sat in its box, in the shopping bag, and glared at me for nearly 2 weeks before I took it back without putting it through its paces.  I'm impressed with some of the dishes that have been posted on this topic, but decided it was more likely to be an impulse buy that would not get much use in our kitchen.  After I took it back I made lot of similar vegetable dishes by thin-slicing with my mandoline...right up until I thin-sliced a finger instead. >:(

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FauxPas

FauxPas

Posted
Posted
24 minutes ago, Smithy said:

 

@GlorifiedRice, I think you need to test the devices and compare them...and then, of course, report here on your results. :)

 

I purchased a spiralizer on promo sale at one of my favorite kitchen stores earlier this year.  It sat in its box, in the shopping bag, and glared at me for nearly 2 weeks before I took it back without putting it through its paces.  I'm impressed with some of the dishes that have been posted on this topic, but decided it was more likely to be an impulse buy that would not get much use in our kitchen.  After I took it back I made lot of similar vegetable dishes by thin-slicing with my mandoline...right up until I thin-sliced a finger instead. >:(

 

Seconding what Smithy said about test and compare and report, GlorifiedRice!!   

 

I had similar results with the first and only mandoline I owned. Was I tasked with providing tissue samples? My own? I bought and left one in a house we rented and always wonder if I set someone else up for similar injuries. 

 

And the Paderno spiralizer will be gifted to someone as I can't stand the set-up and storage hassles. But I still like the idea of spiralized veggies, I need something with easy storage and usage. But I won't use it if I have to trim everything to a precise size before spiralizing. 

 

Am i being too cantankerous? :huh:

 

 

 

 

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GlorifiedRice

GlorifiedRice

Posted
Posted (edited)

Well I got the Paderno cause the Benriner was too expensive. LOL Little did I know that I have had a Benriner in my garage all these years I didnt remember purchasing.

I put it in the dishwasher, good as new!

I hated the Veggetti, too much turning and it shreds the seeds with it.

The Paderno does more than spirals, it does ribbons and other cuts. But its annoying to clean, and I feel like its made with that kinda plastic that will eventually turn YELLOW

I havent used the Benriner in 15-16-17 yrs  So I cannot speak about it yet LOL

 

ETA I just looked up the Benriner on Amazon, $21 !!! They used to be $79.00, I guess they wanna get in on the Spiralizing craze

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BI6CZ8/

Edited by GlorifiedRice (log)
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blue_dolphin

blue_dolphin

Posted
Posted
On December 13, 2015 at 6:03 PM, gfweb said:

Just got this Microplane Spiralizer $13 and it actually works.

Microplane Spiral Slicer Green

 

I had the Briefton mentioned above.  Complete POS, I sent it back.

 

 

 

That Microplane version looks nice - seems like it would work on a normal size carrot, unlike the Paderno I have that requires a horse-sized root!  

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cyalexa

cyalexa

Posted
Posted

I'm anxious to use the new toy. The zucchini at my local grocery were too sad to buy. I do have some beets and potatoes on hand but was thinking a softer vegetable might be best for my first effort. 

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