where the image is meant to titillate and inspire the cook
My Julia Child floribunda roses (butter yellow) with French Perfume hybrid tea roses (pink with yellow center) and 5 fresh herbs from Gail’s Garden: rosemary, basil, sage, mint, and flowering oregano.
Julia Child writing about 1949:
“On August 15, I turned thirty-seven years old. Paul bought me the Larousse Gastronomique, a wonder-book of 1,087 pages of sheer cookery and foodery…By now I knew French food was “it” for me. I couldn’t get over how absolutely delicious it was.”
“We began our lunch with a half-dozen oysters on the half shell.”
“Rouen is famous for its duck dishes, but after consulting the waiter Paul had decided to order Sole Meunière…perfectly browned in a sputtering butter sauce with a sprinkling of chopped parsley on top.”
“Then came the salade verte with a slightly acidic vinaigrette.”
“We followed our meal with a leisurely dessert of fromage…”
“Paul and I floated out the door into the brillant sunshine and cool air. Our first lunch together in France had been absolute perfection. It was the most exciting meal of my life.” This is as she describes her meal to us in My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud’homme, pages 17 and 18.
To make Sole Meunière: Season the fresh Petrale Sole, then dip it in a beaten egg. Dredge in flour and shake off the excess. Saute in a half butter/half olive oil mixture until light brown. Make the sauce in another pan; brown the butter, finish with lemon juice and chopped parsley. Pour sauce on the platter, then top with the fish. Garnish with lemons and parsley.
A special thanks to Lisa at Champaign Taste for hosting this Julia Child Birthday Event. Please visit her site to link to other bloggers celebrating Julia’s Birthday.
Chicken Livers – Italian and French: one process, two styles:
First, make risotto with a rich chicken stock.
Chicken livers are seasoned then dredged in flour and sauteed in olive oil and butter.
The livers are removed from the pan and kept warm while onions are cooked with Marsala wine.
The livers are returned to the pan with the onions and some chicken stock is added to finish cooking the livers. Fegato di Pollo alla Finanziera: the chicken livers and onions are served with risotto and garnished with parsley.
The next day, we take “leftover livers and onions” and process with crème fraîche and parsley.
Terrine de Foies de Volaille: our pâté is served here with challah bread, chopped eggs, and cornichons.
You know it’s Friday, all summer long in Rolling Hills, California, when the In-N-Out® Cookout Trailer pulls into the camp parking lot. Yay!
Every burger is made fresh to order from 100% pure beef that’s never frozen, then top it off with hand-leafed lettuce, plump, juicy tomatoes, onions, and real American cheese, all on an old-fashioned sponge dough bun with their special spread. The burger can be ordered with double meat and double chesse, it’s called a Double-Double®.
Cheeseburger anyone?
Grilled Skirt Steak over Black Beans in Fire Roasted Green Salsa and Garlic, with Avocado, White Onion, and Cilantro
Nancy Silverton prepares this recipe with a filet mignon, in her cookbook “A Twist of the Wrist: Quick Flavorful Meals with Ingredients from Jars, Cans, Bags, and Boxes.” It is a great summer dish with lots of great smoky flavors. Twist open a jar of salsa, and open a can of beans, couldn’t be easier. Thanks Nancy!
My version: Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a saucepan, add 3 cloves of minced garlic, then add a cup of fire roasted green salsa and a can of rinsed black beans. Warm over low heat, adjust seasoning.
Meanwhile, grill a seasoned skirt steak.
Assemble on a platter with a layer of the black beans in salsa, then avocado slices, the steak, and onions and cilantro.
Happy Summer Grilling and Bon Appetit!