Julia's Kitchen Wisdom Read online

  ALSO BY JULIA CHILD

  Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I

  (with Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle)

  The French Chef Cookbook

  Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume II

  (with Simone Beck)

  From Julia Child’s Kitchen

  Julia Child & Company

  (with E. S. Yntema)

  Julia Child & More Company

  (with E. S. Yntema)

  The Way to Cook

  Cooking with Master Chefs

  In Julia’s Kitchen with Master Chefs

  (with Nancy Verde Barr)

  Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home

  (with David Nussbaum)

  My Life in France

  (with Alex Prud’homme)

  These are Borzoi Books, published in New York by Alfred A. Knopf.

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Introduction

  Soups and Two Mother Sauces

  PRIMAL SOUPS

  Leek and Potato Soup

  STOCKS

  Light Chicken Stock

  Simple Beef Stock

  Fish Stock

  SOUPS MADE FROM STOCK OR CANNED BROTH

  Chicken Soup with Vegetables

  Mediterranean Fish Soup

  Scotch Broth

  CREAM SOUPS

  Cream of Mushroom Soup

  FAT-FREE CREAM SOUPS WITH PURÉED RICE

  Rutabaga Soup Soubise—with Rice and Onion Purée

  CHOWDERS

  The Chowder Soup Base

  TWO OF THE MOTHER SAUCES

  Béchamel Sauce

  Hollandaise Sauce

  Salads and Their Dressings

  SALAD GREENS

  Mixed Green Salad

  SALAD DRESSINGS

  Basic Vinaigrette Dressing

  Chopped Hard-Boiled Eggs—Salad Mimosa

  Curly Endive with Bacon and Poached Eggs

  Warm Duck Leg Salad

  MAIN COURSE SALADS

  Salade Niçoise

  Chicken Salad

  Pasta Salad

  American-Style Potato Salad

  COLE SLAW AND OTHER VEGETABLE SALADS

  Cole Slaw

  Celery Root Rémoulade

  Grated Beet Salad

  Cucumber Salad

  Vegetables

  THE BLANCH/BOIL SYSTEM FOR GREEN VEGETABLES

  BLANCH/BOIL VEGETABLE CHART

  STEAMED VEGETABLES

  A HANDFUL OF STEAMED VEGETABLES

  THE BOIL/STEAM SYSTEM FOR VEGETABLES

  BOIL/STEAM VEGETABLE CHART

  ROASTED OR BAKED VEGETABLES

  Tomatoes Provençal

  Baked Winter Squash

  Baked Eggplant Slices and Eggplant “Pizza”

  Cauliflower au Gratin

  SAUTÉED VEGETABLES

  Sautéed Mushrooms

  Pipérade—Sautéed Peppers and Onions

  Grated Sautéed Zucchini

  Grated Sautéed/Steamed Beets

  Brown Onion “Marmalade”

  BRAISED VEGETABLES

  Braised Celery

  Braised Endives

  Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage

  POTATOES

  Mashed Potatoes

  Steamed Whole Potatoes

  Boiled Sliced Potatoes

  Scalloped Potatoes—Gratin Dauphinois

  Sautéed Diced Potatoes

  The Best Grated Potato Pancakes

  French Fries

  RICE

  Plain Boiled White Rice

  DRIED BEANS

  Dried Beans Preliminary—the Quick Soak

  Open-Pot Bean Cookery

  Pressure Cooker Beans

  Crock-Pot or Slow-Cooker Beans

  Illustrations: Part 1

  Meats, Poultry, and Fish

  SAUTÉING

  Sautéed Beef Steaks

  Calf’s Liver and Onions

  Fillets of Sole Meunière

  Thick Pork Chops

  Thick Veal Chops

  Sauté of Beef Tenderloin

  Sauté of Pork Tenderloin

  Chicken Sautéed in White Wine

  BROILING

  Broiled Butterflied Chicken

  Broiled Fish Steaks—About ¾ Inch Thick

  Lamb Brochettes

  Broiled Flank Steak

  Broiled Hamburgers

  Butterflied Leg of Lamb

  Roast/Broiled Butterflied Pork Loin

  ROASTING

  Roast Prime Ribs of Beef

  Roast Top Loin (New York Strip) of Beef

  Roast Tenderloin of Beef

  Roast Leg of Lamb

  Imported Legs of Lamb (New Zealand, Iceland, etc.)

  Rack of Lamb

  Roast Loin of Pork

  Meat Loaf

  Roast Chicken

  Steam-Roasted Duck

  Steam-Roasted Goose

  Roast Whole Fish

  STEWING, BRAISING, AND POACHING

  STEWING

  Pot au Feu Boiled Dinner

  BRAISING

  Beef Bourguignon—Beef in Red Wine Sauce

  Lamb Stew

  Lamb Shanks

  Ossobuco

  FISH AND SHELLFISH—POACHING AND STEAMING

  Fish Fillets Poached in White Wine

  Sea Scallops Poached in White Wine

  Poached Salmon Fillets

  Whole Steamed Salmon

  Steamed Lobsters

  Egg Cookery

  The French Omelet

  Scrambled Eggs

  Poached Eggs

  Shirred Eggs

  Eggs Baked in Ramekins

  Hard-Boiled Eggs

  SOUFFLÉS

  Savory Cheese Soufflé

  DESSERT SOUFFLÉS

  Vanilla Soufflé

  SAVORY CUSTARDS

  Individual Broccoli Timbales—Molded Custards

  MOLDED DESSERT CUSTARDS

  Caramel Custard

  CUSTARD DESSERT SAUCES AND FILLINGS

  Crème Anglaise—Classic Custard Sauce

  Floating Island

  Pastry Cream—Crème Pâtissière

  Sabayon

  Classic Chocolate Mousse

  Illustrations: Part 2

  Breads, Crêpes, and Tarts

  BREADS

  Basic Dough for White Bread, French Breads, Pizzas, and Hard Rolls

  To Form and Bake 2 Long French Loaves

  Baking in the Bread Machine: White Sandwich Bread—Pain de Mie

  TWO DESSERTS BASED ON BREAD

  Apple Charlotte

  Cinnamon Toast Flan—a Bread Pudding

  CRÊPES—PAPER-THIN FRENCH PANCAKES

  All-Purpose Crêpes

  ROLLED CRÊPES: SAVORY AND DESSERT ROULADES

  Savory Spinach and Mushroom Crêpe Roulades

  Strawberry Dessert Crêpes

  LAYERED CRÊPES: SAVORY AND DESSERT GTEAUX

  Savory Tower of Crêpes with Lobster, Broccoli, and Mushrooms

  Dessert Gâteau of Crêpes à la Normande

  Crêpes Suzette

  TARTS

  All-Purpose Pie Dough—Pâte Brisée Fine

  Forming a Tart Shell

  Prebaking a Shell—“Blind Baking”

  Quiche Lorraine

  Apple Tart

  The Famous Upside-Down Apple Tarte Tatin

  Cakes and Cookies

  CAKES

  Génoise Cake

  The Genoa Almond Cake—Pain de Gênes

  Le Brantôme—a Walnut Layer Cake

  La Reine de Saba—the Queen of Sheba Chocolate Almond Cake

  Meringue-Nut Layer Cakes—Dacquoise

  FILLINGS AND FROSTINGS

  Italian Meringue

 
Chocolate Ganache

  Soft Chocolate Icing

  Brandy-Butter Cake Filling

  Apricot Filling

  COOKIES

  Cat’s Tongues—Langues de Chat, Finger-Shaped Sugar Cookies

  P.S. BISCUITS

  Baking-Powder Biscuits

  Kitchen Equipment and Definitions

  KITCHEN EQUIPMENT

  Oval Casseroles

  Saucepans

  Baking Dishes

  Chef’s Skillet and Sauté Pan

  Knives and Sharpening Steel

  Wooden Spatulas and Rubber Scrapers

  Wire Whips or Whisks

  Bulb Baster and Poultry Shears

  The Vegetable Mill (or Food Mill) and Garlic Press

  The Food Processor

  Mortar and Pestle

  Heavy-Duty Electric Mixer

  DEFINITIONS

  Sauces, Soups, and Stocks

  Roasts

  Casseroles

  Acknowledgments

  This book represents some forty years of happy collaboration on cookery with colleagues and friends. The idea for it came when we decided to make a television special out of snippets from my earlier shows starting with the very first one, “Boeuf Bourguignon,” that famous French beef stew, which aired February 11, 1963, on Boston’s “educational” station, WGBH. You can’t have a food show without a book to go with it—hence this volume. It is with deepest appreciation that I acknowledge the following angels who made it all possible.

  My continuing gratitude goes to Judith Jones, who has been my editor since the beginning of my cookbook life. Hers is the conception of this book, and it is she who carefully went over each suggestion, each chapter and paragraph, yes, and even each sentence. Her remarks and suggestions are golden, and her advice is treasured. My admiration of Judith as an editor and my affection for Judith as a person are boundless.

  David Nussbaum, my collaborator, has done a magnificent job of gathering and sifting through material from all the various shows and books. He has done testings and comparisons, made outlines and suggestions, and always presented me with detailed material eminently ready to work on. The book, literally, could not have been done at all, and certainly not by the deadline, had it not been for David.

  My special thanks go to Geoffrey Drummond, producer of the two-hour PBS television special Julia’s Kitchen Wisdom that gave rise to this book. Geof and his editor, Herb Sevush, went through miles of old tape to pick out just the right episodes to show, and then edited them all into a lively whole. Geof’s company, A La Carte Communications, Inc., with Nat Katzman, also produced my last four series, Cooking with Master Chefs, In Julia’s Kitchen with Master Chefs, Baking with Julia, and Jacques and Julia Cooking at Home, as well as two Cooking in Concert PBS specials with Jacques Pépin. Segments from all of these shows appear in the present special. We have always had a great time working together, and my admiration and affection for Geof are infinite.

  Continuing and enthusiastic thanks to Public Television for making my career possible. I simply would not have existed without them, and I very much appreciate the support and the freedom that PBS offers its participants. How lucky we are that it exists!

  Sincere thanks to many who have helped me through the years and whose work has meant much to the success of our TV special as well as to the recipes in this book: William A. Truslow, Esq., my family lawyer and faithful friend. Russell Morash, my first producer, who started us out on The French Chef and kept us going through the Julia Child & Company series; and Marian Morash, The Victory Garden Cook and our first executive chef. Ruthie Lockwood, sometime producer of The French Chef, unique personal director, and valued friend. Rosemary Manell, talented food designer for photography as well as television, and recipe developer for many of the shows and books. The wonderfully talented Sarah Moulton, sometime executive chef on our Company series. Stephanie Hersh, my longtime assistant and friend, without whom my office would be a mess and my life both dull and in disarray.

  A project of this magnitude cannot happen without the support of generous sponsors, and this is particularly true of Public Television. I am proud that we are associated with the Robert Mondavi Winery, whose pioneering spirit and generosity have made California wines recognized throughout the world. I am delighted, too, that my favorite spread, Land O’ Lakes Butter, is with us again—we used an incredible 573 pounds of it on our Baking with Julia series. And much of that good butter finds its way into the pots and pans of All-Clad Metalcrafters, our final sponsor. Heartfelt thanks to you, all three.

  Toujours bon appétit!

  Introduction

  So often you can be in the midst of cooking and you just can’t remember whether that leg of lamb should roast in a 325° or a 350°F oven, and for how long. Or you’ve forgotten just what you do to unmold a jelly-roll cake, or the system that so successfully brings back the hollandaise sauce. This book aims to give quick, snappy answers to many of those questions.

  It won’t by any means answer everything, and it doesn’t go into such complicated subjects as French puff pastry, for which you need pages of instruction and numerous photographs. In other words, it doesn’t pretend to take the place of a big, detailed, all-purpose cookbook like my Way to Cook or Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volumes I and II. It is, rather, a mini aide-mémoire for general home cookery, and is aimed at those who are tolerably familiar with culinary language; whose kitchens are normally well equipped with such staples as jelly-roll pans, a food processor, a decent rolling pin; and who know their way around the stove reasonably well.

  It began as my loose-leaf kitchen reference guide gradually compiled from my own trials, remedies, and errors—corrected as I’ve cooked my way through the years. Now that it has evolved into a book, information is arranged according to the large categories of soups, eggs, bread, and so forth, with the emphasis on technique. Whether a crêpe is rolled with mushrooms for a main course or with strawberries for dessert, all crêpe dishes are made in much the same way, so they are all together in one chapter. The same goes for soufflés, tarts, meats, and the rest of the menu. In the roasting section, for instance, the master recipe, though brief, details the technique for dealing with a large piece of meat. Here the master recipe is for roast beef, and is followed by still briefer variations for other roasts such as leg of lamb, roast chicken, turkey, fresh ham, and even a big whole fish. They all cook in essentially the same way, though small details differ. The same is true for soufflés and tarts; and green vegetables are grouped in two convenient charts according to method. Once you have mastered a technique you hardly need look at a recipe again, and can take off on your own.

  If you have watched the PBS television special that was the inspiration for this book, you will note that the recipes demonstrated there are included here but that the method or ingredients are often not quite like those on the screen. Many of those recipes were conceived years ago. Take the garlic sauce for mashed potatoes as an example. That was a good system for its time, but an involved one. Here it is much simpler and equally good, if not even better.

  A thorough professional index is essential for this kind of book. When you have a question, for instance, just look it up by subject, such as “Chocolate, about melting,” or “Mayonnaise, about troubleshooting,” or “Sole Meunière,” or “frying pans,” and so forth. My own little loose-leaf served me well, and I am hoping this book version will give you, too, as well as me, many of the essentials needed for brief instruction and problem solving.

  Julia Child

  Cambridge, Massachusetts

  Soups and Two Mother Sauces

  “Once you have mastered a technique, you hardly need look at a recipe again.”

  Homemade soups fill the kitchen with a welcome air, and can be so full and natural and fresh that they solve that always nagging question of “what to serve as a first course.”

  PRIMAL SOUPS

  These are the basic soups, the least complicated, and often the most lo
ved.

  MASTER RECIPE

  Leek and Potato Soup

  For about 2 quarts, serving 6

  3 cups sliced leeks (white and tender green parts; see box below)

  3 cups peeled and roughly chopped “baking” potatoes

  6 cups water

  1½ tsp salt

  ½ cup sour cream or crème fraîche, optional

  Bring ingredients to the boil in a 3-quart saucepan. Cover partially and simmer 20 to 30 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Correct seasoning. Serve as is, or purée, and/or top each portion with a dollop of the cream.

  VARIATIONS

  ONION AND POTATO SOUP. Substitute onions for leeks, or use a combination.

  CREAM OF LEEK AND POTATO SOUP. After simmering the preceding soup, purée it and whisk in ½ cup heavy cream. Reheat to the simmer again before serving.

  WATERCRESS SOUP. Add a bunch of washed watercress leaves and stems to the base soup for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Purée. Garnish with a scattering of fresh watercress leaves.

  COLD SOUPS, such as vichyssoise. Purée any of the above, stir in ½ cup cream, and chill. Correct seasoning just before serving; stir in chilled cream if you wish. Top each bowl with minced fresh chives or parsley (or fresh watercress leaves).

  SOUPE DU JOUR. Meaning add anything else you have on hand, such as cauliflower, broccoli, green peas, spinach, cooked or raw. This is how you may come up with some of your own marvelous ideas and secret “house recipes.”

  HOW TO PREPARE LEEKS. Trim off the root ends, keeping the leaves attached. Cut off tops so the leeks are 6 to 7 inches long. Starting ½ inch from the root and keeping leaves attached, slit each leek lengthwise in half and then in quarters. Wash under cold running water, spreading the leaves apart to rinse off all dirt. Leeks can be braised whole or sliced crosswise into pieces for soup. To julienne, cut leeks crosswise into 2-inch pieces, press leaves flat, and slice lengthwise into matchsticks.

  TO PURÉE A SOUP. To use an immersion blender, set the machine upright in the center bottom of your soup pan, turn it on and move it around, but do not bring it to the surface. To use the food processor, strain the soup and turn the solids into the processor, adding to them a little of the liquid, then process, adding a little more liquid as needed. To use the vegetable mill, strain the soup and add the solids gradually to the mill, passing them through with small additions of the liquid.