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As one of our first beloved celebrity chefs, Julia Child not only cooked for American audiences on television, but also introduced many to the intricacies of French cuisine. While some of her recipes required some fairly lofty techniques, others revealed how to bring a French flair to simpler dishes. Potato gratin is one such recipe that we’ve integrated into American cuisine, layering potatoes with a creamy sauce and heaps of shredded cheese. However, Julia Child’s potato gratin recipe includes tinned anchovies, instilling an unmistakably French flavor.
Tinned anchovies are the star of the show in many French dishes worth trying at least once, including the Provençal pissaladière. But, they’re also the secret weapon behind many flavorful sauces, tapenades, and stews. They break down easily, disintegrating into a warm pan with oil. Julia Child takes full advantage of their flavoring potential by transforming a tin of anchovies into an umami-rich, salty, and aromatic layer in her Provençal potato au gratin. Child’s recipe blends anchovies with olive oil, garlic, and herbs de Provence into a paste that she spreads over thinly sliced potatoes, after topping them with sauce. She then repeats the process once more, before finishing off the casserole with a hearty sprinkling of grated cheese.
How anchovies transform Julia Child’s recipe and many others
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The best type of tinned anchovies to use in sauces and pastes (or in general, really) is an oil-packed option. In fact, you can even use the oil the filets are packed in to make Child’s layer of anchovy paste. It’ll provide an especially savory complement to the earthy potatoes and tomato sauce.
You could also use tinned anchvies to craft our simple potatoes au gratin recipe, which layers sliced potatoes with a cream sauce and shredded Gruyère cheese. This version of potato gratin is known as gratin Dauphinois, a recipe that Julia Child also shares in her cookbook, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” Simply revamp the recipe by creating an anchovy paste similar to the one used in Child’s Provençal rendition, stirring it into the cream sauce before pouring it over your potatoes. The anchovies will bring a salty and savory depth that’ll help cut through the richness of the cream and cheese. You can even enhance the anchovies by sprinkling some salty, nutty pecorino romano or parmesan on top of the final layer of cheese.
Tinned anchovies would also make a great upgrade for a classic ratatouille – perhaps the most famous Provençal French recipe of all, consisting of veggies stewed in a rich and savory tomato sauce.
Dining and Cooking