The French Chef (1962–1973): Season 1, Episode 22 - Episode #1.22 - full transcript

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JULIA: Don'’t you ever get awfully tired

of just baked, boiled and mashed and fried potatoes?

Well, if you do, tune in on us.

We'’re doing four wonderful recipes on our potato show,

today on The French Chef.

♪

Welcome to The French Chef. I'’m Julia Child.

Today, we have the great potato show.

Potatoes, as some of you might not know,



were considered poison up until about 1771.

Some people thought they gave leprosy.

And it wasn'’t until Mr. Parmentier

gave a bouquet of potato flowers to Louis XVI in 1771

that potatoes became a very fashionable vegetable.

Then after being very fashionable,

they became, really, the bread of life.

You of course heard of the Irish Potato Famine.

Well, they'’re just all over the world today,

but they'’re not very many ways of cooking them

that most people know.

I counted over 200 potato recipes

in a French book the other day,

and we'’re gonna do four lovely ones.



We'’re gonna start out with a scalloped potato dish

called gratin de pommes
de terre dauphinois.

It'’s a perfectly delicious, quick, lovely potato dish.

And all it is is sliced potatoes cooked in milk and butter

and a little seasoning, and they take about 25 minutes to do.

So we'’ll have them done by the time we finish.

Now, for slicing potatoes, I always recommend that you learn

how to use your knife, '’cause it goes so quickly.

Hold it that way, and there'’s your potato,

with your thumb there, and your fingers here,

and you just come straight down, like that.

Now, if you practice, you can go very fast.

But if you don'’t want to do that--

though I recommend you learn to use your knife--

you can use a grater like this, and it has a slicing hole.

And you just slice the potato down like that.

Then when you come to the end,

be careful not to slice off your thumbs.

And then when you'’ve got your potatoes all sliced,

you want to dip them in water and do like that to them

to get off the floury coating,

because we don'’t want the potatoes to stick together

in their dish.

And then after that, you drain them.

I'’ve got a big drainer here.

And you always want to--

after you'’ve peeled or sliced potatoes,

you want to always keep them in water or they turn brown.

Now, with this one, we have a fireproof dish here.

This is enameled iron with...

which you can cook with either on the stove or in the oven.

Then you fill it about a third full of milk,

and then you simply...

Then I'’m gonna put a little bit of garlic in, too.

That'’s always part of this dish.

You can put cheese in, too, but I like it just plain.

There'’s a whole clove of garlic in the press

and it goes, "queek," all over the stove,

but into the potatoes, too.

And then some salt and pepper.

And we have this heating up

because just to show you how quick it is.

I'’m putting in about a teaspoon and a quarter of salt

and some pepper.

And then in go the potatoes.

Now, the secret of this dish is having thinly-sliced potatoes,

and you don'’t want the dish to be over two inches high.

And then you just put a little butter on,

and then it goes into the oven.

And that'’s all there is to it.

If you'’re using just milk, you can use quite a bit of butter.

I'’m using about two tablespoons there.

And this will serve four to six people.

There. And then that goes into

a 450-degree oven.

See, the point is that you always...

And that will cook in about 20 minutes.

The point is, for quick cooking,

you always heat up the milk in your pan first.

Now we'’re gonna do another nice dish.

And this is a main course dish.

That pommes de terre dauphinois
goes very nicely

with roast and steaks and things like that.

Now, this one is going to be sausage and potatoes,

and we have an oven-proof dish here, and we butter it.

I don'’t know what I did with my draining equipment.

I guess I'’ll have to go over and get it.

And now we have some potatoes here

that were sliced and boiled in salted water.

And these are what are known as boiling potatoes.

Oh, I did want to remind myself about that gratin dauphinois.

I'’m gonna set the timer for about...

...oh, about 18 minutes there,

and I think that gratin will be done.

Now, as I was saying, these are sliced boiling potatoes,

and I'’ve just boiled them in salted water

until they'’re just tender.

And then you drain them out.

And then,

you just make layers of potatoes.

And then we'’re gonna put some onions on.

These are onions that have been soaked--

cooked slowly in butter, until they'’re tender.

And I'’ve got about, oh, a good cup here.

I probably won'’t use all of them,

but it'’s a good idea when you'’re cooking onions--

if you use a lot of them, and I do-- is to cook up a lot.

And then you can put them in the icebox.

Then you put a layer of sausage in.

This is Polish sausage, which you can buy in any supermarket.

It just comes wrapped like that in cellophane.

And you don'’t have to cook it or anything,

because this is going to cook.

And then you put in...

Cover that up.

It just depends on how much meat you want.

And then some more potatoes.

See, this is a really very simple dish,

and it makes an awfully nice supper or luncheon dish,

and it'’s good and hearty.

And we put on some more onions.

You can end with onions or potatoes.

It doesn'’t make any difference which you do.

And in this, it doesn'’t make any difference

whether you have a fairly deep oven dish.

I think this size of about two inches is good.

And this is around eight or nine inches in diameter

and about two inches high.

And then we...

you can either use a white sauce

or you can use a mixture of cream and eggs beaten up.

I think I shall use light cream and eggs,

'’cause it makes it rather like a quiche.

And we'’ll have two eggs.

I'’ve got them in a bowl, and you just beat them enough

just to mix them.

Then I have two cups of that all-purpose

sort of medium-light cream.

I'’ll put in about a cup, and then if I see we need any more,

I can add it.

And that just gets poured over.

That should come up about two-thirds of the way up,

so I'’ll just put in a little more cream.

You can do this with milk, if you like.

Then we put on a little grated Swiss cheese.

You always use this if you want something to brown on the top,

in a dish like this.

And then, also so that it will brown on the top,

you put on a little bit of butter.

I'’m using about a tablespoon of butter here.

These proportions don'’t make terribly much difference,

as long as you have, say, two eggs.

And then just as much cream as you want.

This is just really the same as a quiche mixture,

and you could cook it in a pie shell,

but I think if you did, it would be a little bit heavy

with all that dough and all those potatoes.

And now that you can arrange ahead of time

and cook when you like.

So I'’m just going to put that to the side,

and I'’ll show you how it looks when it'’s done.

You see, there'’s the sausage, and the eggs have made

sort of a custard.

It makes a very nice dish.

Now we'’re gonna have another...

another potato dish.

The repertoire is really endless in potatoes.

I was amazed when I counted off and found over 200.

[clears throat]

And I like the idea of having potatoes, also,

as a main course.

Because it'’s inexpensive, and they'’re not nearly

as nourishing as people think.

They'’re always saying,

"Oh, that'’s got so many calories in it," and so forth.

But one cup of potatoes has, I think, only 70 calories in it,

which is not any more than an apple.

Now, this one is a very sort of a simpleminded

but awfully good dish.

These are baked potatoes cut in half.

And then you just scoop out the potato part.

And if you'’re in a hurry,

you can cut the raw potatoes in half and just steam them

until they'’re tender.

But be sure, in any case, that as soon as they'’re cooked,

you cut them in half so they don'’t develop

that stale potato taste.

And then I'’m gonna mash them sort of roughly.

This is an awfully useful kind of a mixing fork.

It has these long, flat blades,

and also they'’re slightly bent over.

I'’m gonna heat up my pan here, too,

so that I'’ll show you how quickly this all goes.

I'’m gonna put in a little butter and oil,

and then watch it.

Don'’t want it to get too hot.

Now you just take your fork.

You see how useful that is.

You just mash the potatoes like that with it.

Then you put in whatever seasonings you like.

I'’m gonna put in some pepper.

Freshly ground pepper always seems to taste much better.

And about, oh, a teaspoon of salt.

I think, seeing as I'’ve got some cream,

I'’ll put a little bit of cream in

and a little butter in.

You don'’t want to get the mixture too...

too liquid.

And then just mix that all around.

You see how convenient that fork is.

And then, it'’s always a good idea to taste it,

'’cause you want to be sure you'’ve got

enough salt and pepper in.

That'’s good.

Nothing like butter.

Now, you can do numerous things with this mixture.

I'’m just going to sauté it in a big...

in my darling no-stick pan, which I'’m so fond of.

You'’ve got your butter hot,

and then just put the potatoes in.

You can sauté these in a small pan or a large pan,

or put them in a gratin dish, or you can bake them.

I think it'’s rather fun just to do it this way.

There.

And now...

I'’ll put that over there, I think.

Now, this you want to go good and hard.

And one thing that'’s nice about this, too,

you can add other things to it,

such as some of these cooked, diced onions.

And we had them the other night with onions and cooked

diced green pepper.

It was an awfully good mixture.

And another thing you could do would be

diced ham or chicken livers or diced mushrooms.

I hope that'’s...

I'’m gonna try... I'm gonna try and flip this over,

which is a rather daring thing to do.

But you have got to get a little bit of a crust

on the bottom of it.

Now, another thing that you can do with this

is to have a fireproof dish and get the bottom

nice and... nice and crusty.

And then pour some very heavy cream,

and sprinkle a little cheese on top of it,

and then bake that in the oven for about...

in a 375 oven for about 30 minutes.

That makes a perfectly delicious dish.

And we'’ll see if that is flip-able.

Well, I'’ll try it anyway.

When you flip anything, you really...

you just have to have the courage of your convictions,

particularly if it'’s sort of a loose mass like this.

Well, that didn'’t go very well.

See, when I flipped it, I didn'’t...

I didn'’t have the courage to do it the way I should have.

But you can always pick it up,

and if you'’re alone in the kitchen,

who is going to see?

But the only way you learn how to flip things

is just to flip them.

And so that one, that could have been browned

a little more on that side.

I shall consider that that'’s browned,

and we'’ll put this in an oven dish, like this.

See, it has to be-- it should have been browned

enough on a crust, and then it would have held together.

If I can shake that back into place a little bit.

I'’ll spread it out. Now, this one--

Anytime that anything like this happens,

you haven'’t lost anything, '’cause you can always

turn this into something else.

So in this case, we'’ll put on a little bit of cheese.

We'’ll pretend that this was supposed to be

a baked potato dish.

We'’ll put on a little cheese,

and I think I'’ve still got some more cream.

So I'’ll just put a little more cream on.

This is awfully good.

We don'’t care about calories,

and this one, we know that potatoes don'’t have too many.

Now, this, of course, you can get ahead of time done,

and then you can either put it under a low broiler,

or you can put it in the oven and bake it.

So I shall set that aside, and we'’ll do another one.

Now, these are gonna be raw, grated potato pancakes.

And first we--

These are-- These have-- Some--

You can make potato pancakes that are just perfectly plain,

or you can do what we'’re gonna do

and mix them with some cream cheese and egg

and other type of cheese.

And this recipe, I'’m just gonna do

half of the recipe.

It works out just the same, luckily, '’cause it divides.

And I'’m gonna use cream cheese. That'’s eight ounces.

So I'’m gonna use four ounces of it.

And then, one egg.

And I'’m gonna use my mixing fork again, if I can find it.

It'’s around here somewhere.

Oh, here it is.

You just mash it all up.

I'’ve had this cheese out of the refrigerator

for some time, so it'’s nice and soft.

There. And then we'’re gonna grate the potatoes.

I'’ve got so many burners on here, I'’m hot.

There. And now, this is a funny part to it,

and very French in that, I don'’t know,

it'’s always-- when we do something like this,

and I'’ll show you the part that'’s considered odd--

You take the coarse part of your grater

and just grate it down.

We want two cups of... of potatoes.

That'’ll be probably three or four potatoes.

Every once in a while, when I'’ve been trying

to be fast and haven'’t looked, I'’ve really grated my knuckles,

so I usually end at about there.

Now, this, though, you can do this recipe

ahead of time.

The potatoes are such funny things.

They exude an awful lot of water.

And they also turn brown.

There'’s some odd chemical compound in potatoes.

I'’m not sure that they've ever discovered exactly

why potatoes act as funny as they do, but they do.

I think that'’s about two cups.

Yeah, I would say that was two cups.

Now, this comes, the amusing part.

Well, I'’ll take absolutely clean towels,

so as not to offend anyone.

Now, you take your potatoes by handfuls,

and... squeeze them.

You'’ve got to get all the water out,

'’cause otherwise, if they sit even for a few minutes,

they-they get more watery.

You don'’t want to take too big a handful,

'’cause you want to just squeeze it.

[groans]: There.

Isn'’t that amazing how much water came out?

And there wasn'’t any water--

We didn'’t put them in any water or anything like that.

Now, if you squeeze those ahead of time,

they would immediately turn brown,

and you don'’t want that to happen.

Probably wouldn'’t hurt them too much, but it doesn'’t look well.

That would be bad psychologically

for the cook, I think.

Look at all that water. That'’s amazing. There.

You just want to get as much out as possible.

If your hands aren'’t very strong,

just do them by very small batches.

And then, we mix them all up...

...and we add salt and pepper.

There'’s some pepper.

And salt, that'’d be, I'd say,

about three quarters of a teaspoon of salt.

And then we put in

about two-thirds of a cup of diced Swiss cheese.

And this is diced about a quarter of an inch thick,

so that it'’ll melt slowly as the pancakes cook.

And then, you see that looks sort of like cole slaw,

and you can, if you'’ve done it, just now, you can put

a few tablespoons of cream in.

You could use sour cream if you wanted.

You don'’t want to get it too liquid.

And then, it goes into our pan.

And you can either do a great big one or--

I got my heat on so high, I'’m just getting boiled--

or you can do little ones.

I think I'’m gonna do a big one '’cause it's fun

and I can also flip it again,

which I hope is gonna work this time.

And, as always, we put in a little bit of oil

and some butter.

And I'’m again using our no-stick pan.

Now if I waited three or four minutes,

say, if I were gonna make some small pancakes,

and I waited three or four minutes,

a lot more water would exude from these pancakes.

I mean, from these potatoes.

They'’re that queer in their chemical construction.

Now we get our butter nice and hot,

as we remember we have to have the...

we have to have the foam begin to go down.

Then the potatoes go in.

And these take about three or four minutes

to cook on each side, and then you have to taste them,

or taste a little corner of them.

If the potatoes aren'’t quite done,

cook them a little bit longer,

or else you can finish them off in the oven.

And you can make these either thick or thin,

or whatever you'’d like.

There, I'’m just gonna let those cook for a little while,

and then I'’ll show you what we can do with little pancakes.

[oven door opens]

Just seeing how our gratin dauphinois is doing.

Now, those are small potato pancakes,

and I'’m gonna show how you can make them as...

for a main course. [clears throat]

Now, we have here some diced ham.

And so, we can put that on.

You could use, oh, diced chicken livers

or whatever you wanted on these.

And, again, as with the other,

the Byron, or the baked potato ones,

you can mix anything else you'’d like

in with the initial mixture.

Now I'’ve still got some onions left.

I think I'’ll use some poached eggs.

[timer rings]

Ah, that'’s-- Well, I just looked at the dauphinois.

It'’s coming along, but it isn'’t done yet.

Now, these eggs I poached this morning

and then put in cold water.

And I'’m gonna pretend that they'’re in hot water

'’cause that's the way you heat them up,

in hot, salted water for a minute or two

until they'’re just heated through,

and then you dip them out with a spoon,

and then roll them around in a towel

to get all the moisture off.

It'’s awfully convenient.

I'’ve had poached eggs that I've made three or four days ago,

which I'’ve kept in the refrigerator,

and then just in water, in an uncovered bowl,

and they just tasted perfectly delicious.

Yeah, after three days.

Which is surprising but convenient.

Then we have some tomato sauce.

And we just put the sauce-- Oh, wait a minute.

I'’m gonna look at my potato pancake.

You can tell when that'’s done

when you begin to see some little holes coming up through.

Now I'’m gonna flip this, by gum.

There.

You see, that was much easier

because it had the crust on there, which held together.

Now...

put on some tomato sauce.

This was some canned tomato sauce,

which I simmered with a little bit of boiled ham

that was diced and some onions and some herbs.

I find that it'’s always much better

if you put in your little own home seasoning, too.

And then we'’ll put a little bit of parsley on top.

And there you are, a very nice course.

I think I'’ll put a little more tomato sauce on

'’cause it's always so good.

And then, if you wanted,

you could have some green vegetables

around, in between.

I'’ll put some little parsley mounds there

just to decorate it up.

And there we are.

Now, that makes a very nice luncheon dish or a supper dish.

So we have now here two...

two main course potato dishes.

We have our potato pancakes with our eggs and our ham,

and we have our potato and sausage casserole.

And with either of these,

all you would need would be a green vegetable

or a green salad, some French bread,

and a nice chilled rosé wine.

And then we have our other two.

We have the gratin dauphinois,

and we have our mashed baking potato pancake.

And with those, you could serve those

with steaks or chops or any kind of meat.

Now, these are easy to make, as you have seen.

And one thing you do want to remember is,

if you'’re going to do any scalloped potato dish,

be sure that you get boiling potatoes.

You don'’t want the baking potato,

which becomes floury when it'’s cooked

'’cause you have to have these potatoes keep their shape

while they'’re cooking.

Now we'’ve had, out of 200 French recipes,

we'’ve done four very nice ones.

We'’ve done two potato casseroles and main dishes

and two potato dishes that you can serve with meats.

So you only have 196 recipes to go.

Courage!

And bon appétit.

This is Julia Child.

♪

ANNOUNCER: Julia Child
is coauthor of the book

Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

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The French Chef is made possible
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