Julia Child – Bon Appetit – serves two or four
30 minutes from start to finish
Julia loved this simple side dish, especially with roast chicken. Good for breakfast, too.
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces – any firm potato will work
Salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Freshly ground pepper
Put potatoes in a medium sauce pan with 4 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Simmer until almost tender, drain and pat dry.
Heat a ten-inch nonstick skillet
Add the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon on butter
When foam subsides, add the potatoes and cook over moderately high heat, tossing until lightly golden.
Season with salt and pepper and roughly mash the potatoes with a spatula.
Dot the remaining tablespoon on butter over the potatoes, cover and cook until the bottom is crusty. About 3 or 4 minutes
Slide the potatoes on to a plate and invert them back into the pan and cook until the bottom in crusty.
Slide on to a platter and serve.