Make a dish you can assemble in advance

As we start planning our holiday menus, I'm thinking about alternatives for the traditional meal. While some families insist their tables must be filled with the exact same dishes every year, we're more flexible. Mashed potatoes were a constant throughout my childhood, so I'd like to find a substitute.

Except for Bridget's garlic version, the last few times I've had mashed potatoes, they weren't great, likely because they had to wait for the rest of the dishes to be assembled or served. Growing up, the potatoes were always boiled in advance, mashed before the turkey was out of the oven and then languished under tin foil, losing their heat.

If your guests require some version of white potatoes, you can avoid the cold potato problem by selecting a different recipe than standard mashed. Baked potatoes are too boring, even with a variety of toppings. Twice-baked potatoes are nice, but take too much time and attention during a busy day.

One approach is to make a dish you can assemble in advance and toss in the oven about an hour before you sit down to eat. A good choice for this is the mandoline potatoes in the photograph. Thinly sliced, nestled together, doused with olive oil and seasonings, these bring lots of flavor and tender potato texture to the plate. Another is the very rich and decadent Pommes Dauphinoise or au gratin potatoes.

A mandoline slicer is the kitchen tool that makes these dishes possible. The first known illustration of one appeared in a cookbook published in 1570 by Bartolomeo Scappi, a cook for Pope Pius VI. The image shows a small board with a central cutting blade and perpendicular blades to cut the food into thin sticks (julienne).

Speculation about the name's origin feature a number of urban legends, but the most likely source is the technique chefs originally used: they would simply hold it against their chest to slice the vegetables directly into the bowl or pot. Today, the mandoline is set at an angle so the food can be slid along the surface to reach the blade which cuts a slice and drops it onto the surface below.

Modern versions of the mandoline are made of hard plastic or metal instead of wood and the blades are either set in a V-shape or straight across. Some use different inserts to vary the thickness, while the "Bennie" or Benriner (a Japanese brand of plastic mandoline slicer) uses a screw to allow very fine adjustments to the blade height.

Because of this precision, uniform slices allow predictable cooking times. The design and sharpness of the cutting blades in a mandoline can also be responsible for dangerous injury. If the hand that is holding the food comes too close to the blade, you can lose a slice of finger. The safety guard is essential.

Mandolines range in price and style from $15 handheld versions to professional models approaching $100. Mine is a sturdy, basic Börner V-slicer almost as old as the German company that made it; they've been in business since 1956. And this was the handy slicer that made short work of nearly 3 pounds of potatoes.

When making this dish, try to select potatoes roughly the same size. As you can see in the photo, there was a bit of variety in these. If you'd prefer not to peel the potatoes, choose tender-skinned new or red potatoes. Russets will definitely need peeling to eliminate their tough-textured and sometimes dirt-flavored skins. These potato and carrot recipes will give you some options, even if you don't wait for the holidays.

Mandoline Potatoes

4 T butter
6 large red potatoes
2 T olive oil
1 t Italian seasoning*
1/4 C Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375F. While oven is heating, place butter in oval or round baking pan in the oven to melt. Using a mandoline cut potatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices. Pour melted butter out of the pan into a small dish. Arrange the potato slices vertically in the prepared pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with reserved melted butter. Cover pan tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Yield: 6 servings.

Pommes Dauphinoise*

2 C heavy cream
1 clove garlic, smashed
2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled
salt and pepper, to taste
pinch nutmeg
1 lb shredded Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 T grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350F. Coat the bottom of a large baking dish with non-stick cooking spray; set aside. In a heavy saucepan, combine cream and garlic; heat to a simmer over low. Using a mandoline, cut the potatoes into 1/8-inch thick rounds. Arrange half the potatoes in the prepared pan. Scatter with half the shredded Gruyere. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Repeat with remaining potato slices, Gruyere, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Discard garlic clove and pour cream evenly over potatoes. Cover pan with foil and bake until potatoes are tender, about 35 minutes. Remove pan from oven; increase temperature to 450F. Remove foil, sprinkle potatoes with Parmesan and bake until brown, about 10 minutes. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

*Note: also called au gratin potatoes; because the starch from the potatoes helps thicken the sauce, do not store them in water after peeling and slicing.

Mandoline Carrots

1 lb carrots, peeled
1 T butter
1 t olive oil
1/2 t salt
1/4 C water
2 minced shallots
1/2 t pepper
2 T snipped chives

Using a mandoline, cut carrots into 1/8-inch thick slices. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium. Add olive oil and carrots, stirring to coat. Add water and salt; cover and cook for 3 minutes on high. Add shallots and pepper, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with chives and cook uncovered until moisture has evaporated, stirring occasionally. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.