The recipe comes together in about 30 minutes.
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I was lucky to inherit an amazing recipe collection from my grandmother.
Many are clippings fromThe Boston Globefood section, and some are in a few of her very favorite cookbooks.
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One such book is the classic,The French Chef Cookbookby culinary icon Julia Child.
My grandmother was an excellent, albeit simple cook.
I can tell by the look of the pages which recipes were her favorites.
Simply Recipes / Molly Adams
It requires just four ingredients, comes together quickly, and goes with a variety of entrees.
I love it with fish, roast beef,ham, and even grilled chicken or steak.
Like many French classics, this recipe’s beauty is in its simplicity.
Potatoes are sliced thinly and cooked in milk, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Unlike the potato casseroles you may have tried before, this one doesn’t have much of a sauce.
The potatoes absorb the milk, which gives them a bit of richness without overwhelming the delicate potato flavor.
After seasoning the milk generously, a mountain of thinly sliced russet potatoes are added.
As for slicing the potatoes, I always use a mandoline.
Once the potatoes are sliced, a quick soak in ice-cold keeps them from browning and removes excess starch.
Once drained, you add them to the simmering milk and begin to question everything you know about cooking.
It will absolutely not look right, but in Julia we trust.
