America’s interest in food—from cooking shows to food blogs to celebrity chefs—has never been stronger, yet following in the footsteps of the heroine of the new film Julia & Julie’s seems too terrifying an undertaking for most home cooks. Who can blame them? Over the course of a year, Julie Powell vowed to cook all 534 recipes in Julia Child’s seminal cookbook, Mastering The Art of French Cooking—her life changing experience started as a food blog, became a best selling book and now a film starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams.
Back in real life, few people are dying to whip up beef bourguignon or cheese soufflé after a busy day at the office, but hopefully Julia & Julie will encourage fans to take a peek into Ms. Child’s classic book. In addition to the complex fare that is the hallmark of French haute cuisine, there are plenty of simpler, delicious dishes that don’t require copper pots and wire whisks, hours of prep time or vats of butter. In particular, when it comes to elevating a simple vegetable to the star of the plate, Julia Child was one smart cookie.
Take the humble button mushroom. Mastering The Art of French Cooking contains some excellent foolproof advice on how to turn out perfectly browned, earthy and tender mushrooms that just beg to accompany a juicy grilled steak. Or switch out the butter for olive oil and—voila!—it’s a heart healthier vegan version of sautéed mushrooms that’s just as delicious.
Like all of the recipes in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, the secret is in the details. “The mushrooms must be dry, the butter very hot, and the mushrooms must not be crowded in the pan,” the book advises. “If you sauté too many at once they steam rather than fry; their juices escape and they do not brown.”
Julia’s master recipe uses a 2 to 1 ratio of butter and oil in the pan, but just olive oil works very well too. Once the butter has stopped foaming or the oil is very, very hot, the mushrooms—washed, thoroughly dried and sliced—go in and patience becomes the name of the game. For the first few minutes, they will absorb the fat until the skillet is dry. At this point, the mushrooms emit a funny little squeaky sound as they are shaken and tossed around the pan. There’s an instinct here to add more butter or oil or lower the heat to medium—resist it and wait for the magic.
In another minute of two, drops of fat will start to appear on the surface of the mushrooms and they’ll begin to brown. Keep a close eye on them and remove them from the heat once they’ve attained a nice color and start to release their juices. Just a little salt and pepper is all that’s needed for a perfect accompaniment to grilled main courses, but a sprinkling of herbs like thyme or chives is very nice too.
Mastering the Art of French Cooking also gives additional instruction on how to take this basic recipe and add shallots, garlic and herbs to create Mushrooms Bordelaise or shallots and wine to enjoy Mushrooms in Madeira sauce. And yes, there is a variation calling for cream, which results in gorgeously decadent Creamed Mushrooms.
In 1961, Julia and her coauthors Louisette Bertholle and Simon Beck set out to teach Americans how to enjoy the glories of French food in their own home. Arguably no other cookbook has influenced the way we eat quite so much. Today, five years after Julia’s death at age 91, and 48 years after Mastering The Art of French Cooking first appeared on bookshelves, America’s Grand Dame of cooking teachers still has lessons to teach the home cook. Don’t be afraid to check it out.
Julia’s Sautéed Mushrooms
Adapted from Mastering The Art of French Cooking
- Heat 2 Tb. butter and 1 Tb. oil in a heavy 10-inch skillet over high heat
- As soon as the butter foam subsides, add ½ lb. button mushrooms which have been washed, well-dried and sliced
- Toss mushrooms for 4 to 5 minutes until they absorb the fat and start to squeak
- Continue sautéing for another 2 to 3 minutes until the mushrooms start to release the fat. They will brown rapidly at this point
- Remove from the heat when they are light brown. Add salt and pepper to taste
