Jacques Pépin’s Salade à la Crème and Limited Edition Signed Print

Jacques Pépin’s Salade à la Crème
and
His Limited-Edition Signed Print Called
“Roses”

In another one of his ever-charming Facebook videos taped in the kitchen of his Connecticut home, Jacques Pépin prepares a simple salad in the style of his maman, using cream instead of oil for the dressing. In it he makes the point that many are alarmed by using cream, but he notes that oil is actually much higher in calories… It reminded me of a hilarious and now famous quote by his meilleure amie, Julia Child, “If you’re afraid of butter, use cream.”

The salad is delightful in an old-fashioned French way, and since the dressing is very simple, I like to serve interesting salad greens with it. These were Radicchio, Petite Red Oak, Green Tango, Green and Red Little Gem.

Jacques began painting in the 1960s when he moved to New York City to work in the restaurant business. He enrolled at Columbia University to improve his language skills and also signed up for an elective in painting.

On The Artistry of Jacques Pépin, he offers some of his original artwork and signed, fine-art prints for sale. A portion of sales go to support culinary education and sustainability.

Inspired by the Chef/Artist, I decided to photograph the salad in the style of a still life painting with roses, including one of his pieces from my growing collection.

Jacques’s Salade à la Crème Recipe

Ingredients:

1/4 c. cream

fine sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 t. red wine vinegar

5 – 6 c. salad greens

Method:

Whip the cream, salt and pepper with a wire whisk until frothy, about 15 seconds. Add vinegar and whisk until the cream thickens slightly.

Toss salad greens with cream dressing and serve immediately.

Note on Lettuces:

Radicchio has crisp burgundy leaves with contrasting white ribs with a bitter flavor with a hint of spice. Petite Gems are dense, compact heads with wide leaves, a crunchy texture and sweet flavor. Petite Oak is broad with ruffled leaves and a soft, full texture. Petite Tango has incised ruffled leaves that have a sharp, lightly spicy taste. They all stand up well to this cream dressing.

Limited Edition Signed Print

Certificate of Authenticity

Title: “Roses”

Original Medium: Oil on Canvas

Original Size: 11″ X 14″

Created: 2018

Edition Size: 200

Print #: 141

Artist: Jacques Pépin

Once all of the signed, numbered prints in the run of 200 are sold, that print is “retired” meaning no more are printed, signed or sold.

More Jacques

Maman’s Cheese Soufflé

Jacques’s Gravlax

King Salmon Cooking Technique