Cheese grater fits a number of tasks

A cheese grater is really just an old-school food processor, except it's a lot easier to work with. And you can just throw it in the dishwasher when you're done. Here are some other ways to use one:

• When a recipe calls for cutting butter into flour, freeze a stick of butter and use the large holes on a cheese grater on the hard stick to quickly create small pieces of butter. This is a great way to combine butter and flour for biscuits or pie crust.

• No need for a garlic mincer or lemon zester; a cheese grater's smallest holes do the job perfectly.

• For fine bits of carrot for salads or summer rolls, shred the carrot using the small holes on a cheese grater. It also makes nice small wisps of radishes, zucchini or jicama.

• Instead of a potato ricer, use a cheese grater to turn cooked potatoes into a fine mush for gnocchi or super-smooth mashed potatoes. Just make sure to let the potatoes cool off a bit first.

Food on 05/27/2015

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