Julia Child is remembered as one of America’s most beloved chefs and TV personalities. She introduced French cuisine to the American public through her debut cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking and her long-running TV show The French Chef. Some of Julia Child’s most iconic and coveted recipes are for potato dishes. Let’s explore the history and details of Julia Child’s famous potatoes.
What kind of potatoes did Julia Child use?
In her recipes, Julia Child most often calls for russet potatoes, sometimes referred to as Idaho potatoes. Russets have a fluffy, dry texture that is perfect for absorbing butter and absorbing flavor from other ingredients. Their high starch content makes them ideal for baking, frying, and mashing.
When a recipe calls for “boiling” potatoes, Child specifically uses Yukon Gold potatoes or red potatoes. These varieties hold their shape better when boiled and have a smoother, creamier texture.
Child uses new potatoes or fingerling potatoes when she wants to highlight the delicate flavor of young, freshly dug potatoes. Their thin skins allow more direct potato flavor to come through.
For dishes like gratins and casseroles that cook low and slow, Child recommends using a waxy potato variety like Yukon Gold or white potatoes. The lower moisture content allows them to cook through without breaking down too much.
What are some of Julia Child’s most famous potato recipes?
Here are some of Julia Child’s potato recipes that have stood the test of time as French cooking classics:
Pommes de Terre Sautees
This is Julia Child’s recipe for sautéed potatoes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The potatoes are cut into olive shapes, browned in butter, then cooked through until deliciously crusty and tender. Child recommends using russet potatoes.
Pommes Anna
This elegant layered potato cake is scrubbed free of imperfections, sliced paper thin, layered in butter, then cooked slowly on the stovetop until the outside is crispy brown. Child liked using Yukon Gold or white potatoes for this recipe.
Potatoes Duchesse
Buttery mashed potatoes are piped into decorative rosettes, then browned in the oven until golden. Child recommends making these with russet potatoes for the fluffiest texture.
Gratin Dauphinois
Thinly sliced potatoes are layered with cream, garlic, and cheese, then baked until bubbly and crispy on top. Child used Yukon Gold or white potatoes for this iconic French dish.
French Fries
Of course Julia Child had a recipe for French fries! She blanched russet potato batons before frying them twice for maximum crispiness.
What techniques did Julia Child use for potatoes?
Julia Child became famous for demystifying French cooking techniques. When it came to potatoes, here are some of the key techniques she championed:
Mashing
Child stressed the importance of mashing potatoes with a manual masher or ricer for the fluffiest texture. She incorporated plenty of butter and hot milk or cream.
Layering
In recipes like Pommes Anna and Gratin Dauphinois, Child layered paper thin potato slices meticulously so they would hold together during long, slow cooking.
Frying
For the perfect French fries and potato pancakes, Child double fried the potatoes in hot oil to make them crispy outside and tender inside.
Sautéing
Child sautéed potato pieces in butter or oil over high heat to achieve browned, crusty exteriors while cooking the insides through.
Baking
For recipes like roasted potatoes and Potatoes Duchesse, Child baked the potatoes in a hot oven so they would caramelize and brown on the outside but remain fluffy within.
What were some of Julia Child’s tips for the best potatoes?
Throughout her books and TV shows, Julia Child shared many tips for getting perfect potato results. Here are some of her top tips:
- Choose the right potato variety – waxy or starchy, depending on the cooking method.
- Soak cut potatoes in water to prevent oxidation.
- Parboil potatoes before roasting for tender, fluffy insides.
- Fry twice at different temperatures for crispy fries.
- Use a chef’s knife or mandoline for thin, even slicing.
- Layer potato dishes carefully to prevent burning or falling apart.
- Cook potato gratins covered first, then uncovered to brown.
- Chill mashed potatoes before shaping so they hold their shape.
- Toss roasted potatoes in duck fat or beef drippings for extra flavor.
How did Julia Child change potato cooking?
Julia Child made several lasting impacts on how home cooks view and prepare potatoes:
- She promoted new potato varieties like Yukon Gold that were not yet widely available in the US.
- She emphasized the technique of cutting potatoes to uniform shapes for even cooking.
- She destigmatized the use of butter, cream, and other rich ingredients in potato dishes.
- She introduced French potato dishes like Pommes Anna and Gratin Dauphinois to the American home cook.
- She showed how low, slow cooking could make potatoes tender and delicious.
- She proved that humble potatoes could be the star of elegant, impressive meals.
Julia Child’s legacy lives on through home cooks worldwide who continue preparing her classic French potato recipes.
Conclusion
Julia Child left an enduring mark on home cooking, and potato dishes formed a core part of her repertoire. Her recipes for buttery, crispy, creamy potato preparations remain beloved classics. Child’s mastery of French techniques expanded the possibilities of what home cooks could achieve with potatoes. Her long cultural influence ensured that humble spuds would be treated as ingredients worthy of care, passion and indulgence in kitchens across America. When we bite into tender Pommes Anna or crispy, golden frites, we taste Julia Child’s legacy in potatoes.