All-Time Greatest Recipes from Legendary Cooks Julia Child loved this simple side dish, especially with roast chicken or Cornish hen. Slideshow: Twists on Julia Child's Classic Recipes
How to Make It
Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan, add 4 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Simmer, partially covered, until almost tender. Drain and pat dry.
Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet. Add the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter. When the foam subsides, add the potatoes and cook, tossing, until lightly golden. Season with salt and pepper and roughly mash the potatoes with a spatula. Dot the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over the potatoes, cover and cook until crusty on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Slide the potatoes onto a plate and invert them back into the pan. Cook until the underside is nice and crusty. Slide the potatoes onto a platter and serve.