A Potato Dish For Julia Child Food

A POTATO DISH FOR JULIA CHILD

Steps:

• Peel potatoes, and slice them very thin. Peel and mince garlic, then mash it, along with a generous pinch of salt, with the flat side of a large knife until it is a paste. Work about 1/2 teaspoon butter into it.
• Heat 2 teaspoons butter in a small pan over medium-low heat; lay in half of potato slices, overlapping slightly, to fill the bottom. Lightly salt and pepper, and smear garlic paste on top. Add rest of potatoes to make a second layer, again overlapping.
• Cook, setting a small cover askew on top of pan. After about 8 minutes, turn potatoes, which should be brown on the bottom, by setting a sturdy plate on top of pan and flipping them over onto it. Heat rest of butter in pan, then slide potatoes back in and arrange them as neatly as you can. Cook semicovered for 5 minutes, and uncovered for a couple more minutes, at which point they should be done and browned, both top and bottom. Slide them onto a plate; season with salt and pepper.

JULIA'S AMERICAN-STYLE POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes and slice each one lengthwise in half, or in quarters if very large; then cut crosswise into half-round or quarter-round slices, about 1/2 inch thick.
• Put the slices in a saucepan with water just to cover and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt per quart of water. Heat to a simmer, and cook the potatoes for 5 to 6 minutes, or until just cooked through. It is essential that they be just cooked through. Bite into a slice or two to be very sure. Immediately remove from the heat and drain the potatoes into a colander, but save a cup of the cooking liquid for dressing the potatoes. Transfer bowl. Stir the cider vinegar with 1/3 cup of the potato water or chicken stock and drizzle this over the potato pieces, turning them gently to distribute it evenly. Let sit 10 minutes to absorb the liquid.
• Add the prepared onion, celery, bacon, pickle, hard-boiled eggs, and chives, and season carefully, to taste. Top with 2/3 cup of mayonnaise (or a mix of mayonnaise and a bit of sour cream) and, with a large rubber spatula, gently fold everything together until well blended. Taste the salad and add more salt, pepper, or mayonnaise as needed.
• Cover the salad and set aside in the refrigerator for at least an hour or so before serving. If it is refrigerated longer, let it come back to room temperature before serving. Taste and adjust the seasoning again.
• To serve, line a bowl or a platter with red-leaf lettuce or other greens, and mound the salad on top. Decorate at the last moment, if you wish, with any or all of the optional garnishes.

POMMES JULIA

Steps:

• Wash, peel and slice potatoes 1/4" thick and drop into cold water to prevent browning. When ready, drain and pat potatoes dry with paper towels.
• In a 9 or 10" heavy bottomed cast iron or non-stick skillet, pour about 1/4" butter. Over a medium heat, arrange potato slices in a circle, sprinkle with some herbs, and a little salt and pepper.
• Add more butter and continue layering potatoes, thyme, salt and pepper, finishing with a layer of potatoes.
• Drizzle top with any remaining butter.
• Cook over medium heat until bottom begins to get brown and crusty.
• Reduce heat, cover and continue cooking until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 30-40 minutes depending on depth of pan and thickness of potatoes.
• When done, invert onto a serving plate and cut into wedges.
• Sprinkle with more fresh herbs.
• *To clarify butter, heat over a low heat until butter is melted. Spoon off and discard white foam. What remains is clarified butter. It has a higher smoking point than regular butter.

JULIA CHILD'S PROVENçAL POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees and place a rack at the middle level. In a large saucepan, combine onions and 2 tablespoons olive oil and stir to coat over low heat. Sprinkle lightly with salt. At a gentle simmer, cook uncovered until onions are softened and lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often. Do not brown; lower the heat if necessary. When done, fold in tomatoes just until heated through. Set aside.
• In a small food processor or a mortar, add the anchovies - anywhere from 6 to 12 fillets, depending on their size and your taste. Add garlic, herbs and a dozen grinds of pepper. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil (or use the oil from the anchovy can, if you like). Crush or pulse together into a chunky paste, thinning with oil as needed to make a loose, fluid mixture.
• In a medium-size baking dish, spread a quarter of the onion-tomato mixture. On top, arrange half the potato slices, then half the anchovy mixture. Add half the remaining onion-tomato mixture. Build one more layer with remaining potato slices, anchovy mixture and onion-tomato mixture. Sprinkle cheese on top and drizzle with olive oil.
• If the dish is very full, place on a baking sheet. Transfer to oven and bake, uncovered, until potatoes are tender and have absorbed all of the juices in the bottom of the dish, 40 to 50 minutes. Test by tasting a bit of potato; it should be soft all the way through, with no raw taste. If the top is browning too fast, cover very loosely with a sheet of foil. If the top is not brown enough when the potatoes are cooked, broil briefly until deliciously glazed.
• Serve gratin hot or warm. Can be cooled and reheated later the same day, but do not refrigerate.

A POTATO DISH FOR JULIA

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes and slice them very thin, about 1/8-inch thick. Peel and mince the garlic, then with the flat of your chef's knife, mash it with a little salt into a paste. Work about 1 teaspoon of the butter into it and set it aside.
• Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of the butter in a small frying pan over medium-low heat, and lay in half the potato slices, overlapping slightly, to fill the bottom of the pan. Salt and pepper them lightly, and smear the garlic paste on top. Add the remaining potatoes, season lightly and set a small cover askew on top of the pan. After about 8 minutes, turn the potatoes by setting a small, sturdy plate on top of the pan and flipping them over and onto it. They won't hold together in perfect shape, but don't worry.
• Heat the remaining butter in the pan and slide the potatoes back in. Let them cook, semicovered, for 5 minutes, then uncovered for a couple minutes more, until nicely browned. Slide them onto a warm plate, season to taste and let them mingle with whatever juicy meat you're treating yourself to for dinner.

CLASSIC POMMES ANNA - SIMPLE FRENCH GRATIN POTATO CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/gas 6.
• Put the potato slices in a colander and rinse under running water to get rid of the starch. Place on a cloth in a single layer and pat dry.
• Generously grease the base of an ovenproof pan or baking dish with melted butter.
• Arrange the potato slices in the pan in overlapping circles , brushing butter over each layer and seasoning as you go.
• Cover with greaseproof paper or a lid. Bake in the oven for 45minutes or up to 1 hour. Test with a skewer to see if the potatoes are done.
• Cooks Notes:.
• Cook this in a cast-iron, heavy-bottomed, stubby-handled frying pan that goes in the oven. Traditionally it should be lidded - mine isn't, so I use greaseproof paper.
• Historical Note:.
• Mrs. Landemare's original recipe is:.
• Potatoes. Fresh butter.
• Peel some potatoes and cut into very thin rounds the size of a florin. Wash in salted water and dry very well in a cloth. Well butter an omelette pan. Place a layer of potatoes on the bottom. Cover with oiled [melted] butter, pepper and salt. Repeat these layers until the pan is full and cook in a medium [350°F] over until brown [40-60 min.] Remove from the oven, turn out and cut into slices or serve whole in a dish.