Julia Child - Still Relevant and Forever a Culinary Icon

It's hard to imagine a more influential culinary icon than Julia Child. When fine cuisine was still considered something mystical and only enjoyed in exotic places like Paris, Julia Child brought these seemingly impossible dishes into our homes and changed the American food landscape. Yes, she is known for using copious quantities of butter, cream, cognac and other frighteningly rich ingredients, but the techniques and recipes she brought to the world are still quite relevant. While American tastes have changed in favor of a lighter approach to cooking, Julia's books and TV shows will always be around to remind us of the importance of learning and applying solid techniques in the kitchen to produce dishes that are essential to our culinary repertoire.

The dish in this photo is Julia's Gratin Dauphinois. Sounds fancy, doesn't it? This extremely delicious side dish is more commonly known as Scalloped Potatoes "au gratin". Yes, the very same dish that can now be purchased off the shelf with an easy-to-prepare dehydrated potato medley and a packet of powdered cheese. Trust me when I say this - we all deserve better!

Gratin Dauphinois in one of those essential, everyday dishes that can be prepared quickly and easily for a weeknight meal. This recipe will be even simpler if you have a sturdy mandoline capable of slicing potatoes into perfect one eighth inch-thick medallions, but a sharp knife works too. I don't bother to peel the potatoes, but by all means do so if you prefer them peeled. This is the ideal side dish with meat loaf, ham or other "comfort" foods. Here is my slightly modified version of Julia's recipe from "The French Chef" cookbook:

Gratin Dauphinois

4 medium-sized red potatoes
1 cup whole milk
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 t. kosher salt
1/8 t. freshly ground black pepper
2 T. unsalted butter
2 T. chopped Italian parsley (optional)

Equipment: shallow baking dish (the white Corning-type is perfect)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Slice the potatoes with a mandoline or knife to a 1/8 inch thickness and immerse in a bowl of water. Add milk, garlic, salt, pepper and butter to a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

Arrange one layer of potato slices in the baking dish and drizzle with about half of the hot milk mixture. Arrange the remainder of the potatoes in the dish and add the rest of the milk mixture. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 25 minutes. The milk should be absorbed, and the potatoes should be tender and lightly browned.

Let the potatoes rest for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve.

Serves 3 to 4

Bon Apetit!

Comfort Soups

Every so often, we all have the kind of day that leaves us feeling weary, stressed or maybe even a little under the weather. These are the times when everyone needs an unfussy, reliable "comfort" soup that can be quickly prepared without much thought. These are, by nature, dishes that are perfect for improvisation. A rustle through the pantry and refrigerator drawers for some staple items and produce is all that is needed to get you started on this quick potato soup so that you can start feeling better.

If you are so inclined, a quick bread such as these biscuits, can be prepared quickly while the soup is simmering, offering additional comfort from the stresses of daily life.

While this soup is one of those spontaneous creations borne from the coffers of the refrigerator that you should feel free to alter, here is the approximate recipe:

Comfort Potato Soup

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth (low sodium, if using canned)
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1/4 cup Italian parsley leaves, chopped plus additional for garnish
1/2 cup whole milk or cream
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Equipment: immersion blender or regular blender

In a medium pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the onion, carrot, celery and garlic until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken broth, and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Add the diced potatoes and parsley leaves, and simmer until the potatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, puree about half of the soup to thicken, leaving some of the vegetables in chunks. If using a regular blender, puree about 2 cups of the mixture in small batches, taking care to leave the top of the blender open to allow the release of heat. Add the milk or cream, warm gently and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with warm bread or biscuits.

Serves 4