Julia Child’s Coquilles Saint Jacques

Julia Child's Coquilles Saint Jacques

The Julia Child Annual Birthday Tribute
with
Coquilles Saint Jacques

Imagine Julia Child hosting her own birthday party today, August 15th. She’s invited you and four other girlfriends to an intimate luncheon at her home in Paris at 81 Rue de l’Université in the 7th arrondissement.

She begins the charming affair by serving her favorite cocktail, an upside-down martini. With naturally less alcohol than a traditional martini, Julia says, “The best thing about a reverse martini is that you can have two of them!” Oh gosh, this is going to be fun!

To start the meal, Julia chose her recipe for Coquilles St. Jacques à la Provençale, sea scallops gratinéed with wine, garlic, and herbs. Which she serves with crusty baguettes and chilled rosé. She says, “This good recipe may be prepared in advance and gratinéed just before serving.” Just a few minutes under the broiler, and her elegant little starter is ready to go!

 🌷🌷🌷Birthday Luncheon Menu 🌷🌷🌷

Starter Course
Coquilles Saint Jacques

Soup Course
Vichyssoise

Main Course
Sole Meunière

Dessert Course
Figs and Sabayon

Julia Child’s Coquilles Saint Jacques Recipe

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Oeufs Mayonnaise

Oeufs Mayonnaise

Classic Bistro Fare
🥚 Oeufs Mayonnaise 🥚

Oeufs Mayonnaise is appreciated for its simplicity and the rich creaminess of the eggs combined with the tanginess of the mayonnaise. It’s a staple in French cuisine and often served as an appetizer in bistros, cafes, and homes across France. It’s a dish that exemplifies the elegance of simplicity and the artistry of combining everyday ingredients in traditional French cooking.

In the late 1980s, Paris experienced a shift in culinary preferences, with traditional dishes like oeufs mayonnaise losing some of their allure. One factor that likely contributed to this decline in interest was growing concern about health issues, particularly the perceived risks associated with consuming foods high in cholesterol. Eggs, a key ingredient in oeufs mayonnaise, were often vilified due to their cholesterol content during this period.

Amidst this changing landscape, Claude Lebey, a prominent figure in the French culinary scene renowned for his restaurant guides, recognized the need to preserve and celebrate dishes like oeufs mayonnaise. In 1990, Lebey took action by establishing the “Association de sauvegarde de l’oeuf mayonnaise” also known as ASOM. This association was dedicated to championing the dish and ensuring its proper preparation in bistros and restaurants across Paris.

Oeufs Mayonnaise

Lebey’s motivation stemmed from a concern that bistros, iconic establishments of French gastronomy cherished for their authentic charm and simple, hearty fare, were gradually losing their traditional character. He viewed oeuf mayonnaise as more than just a dish; it was a symbol of the essence of bistro cuisine—a humble yet delicious offering that epitomized the soul of French culinary heritage.

Lebey’s efforts, coupled with a broader movement towards rediscovering and celebrating traditional cuisine, ultimately contributed to a resurgence of interest in oeufs mayonnaise. The dish regained its place on bistro menus, reaffirming its status as a beloved staple of French gastronomy and a testament to the enduring appeal of simple, well-executed dishes that have stood the test of time.

Today, Claude Lebey’s grandson, Romain Lebey, has continued his family’s legacy by further promoting and preserving French culinary traditions, including the advocacy for dishes like oeufs mayonnaise.

Oeufs Mayonnaise Recipe

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Chicken Liver Pâté à la Jacques Pépin

Julia Child's Annual Birthday Tribute

JULIA CHILD’S ANNUAL BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE

Chicken Liver Pâté à la Jacques PépinChicken Liver Pâté à la Jacques Pépin

Joyeux Anniversaire Julia Child! It has been an honor, a passion, and a tradition to celebrate the Chef’s birthday on Taste With The Eyes for several years now.

This year I imagine her dear, long-time friend, Jacques Pépin, inviting her over for an intimate luncheon that begins with her favorite upside-down martini. The first course includes his famous chicken liver pâté with toasted baguette, radishes from the garden with Maldon sea salt and European-style butter, cornichons and cocktail onions.

Chicken Liver Pâté à la Jacques PépinChicken Liver Pâté Recipe

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Cream of Asparagus Soup (Hot or Cold)

Cream of Asparagus Soup (Hot or Cold)

 🌿 Cream of Asparagus Soup (Hot or Cold) 🌿

“An excellent light supper need be no more than a good soup, a salad, cheese and fruit. And combined according to your own taste, a good homemade soup in these days of the can opener is almost a unique and always a satisfying experience,”  so says Julia Child in Mastering the Art of French Cooking Volume One, Fortieth Anniversary Edition published by Alfred A. Knopf 2006.

And the beauty of this soup is that it is equally excellent served either hot or cold. Depending on the occasion, the weather, your menu, your mood… whatever it may be – choose the hot or cold version for your delicious soup-centric supper.

The month of May is the perfect time to serve this super-easy, seasonal asparagus soup! The color is quite spring-y. It has a lovely mild, grassy flavor with earthy and nutty undertones plus an exquisite creamy texture. It’s simultaneously simple and elegant, suitable for a weeknight supper or a weekend gala.

Cream of Asparagus Soup (Hot or Cold)

Cream of Asparagus Soup Recipe

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Julia and Jacques’s Gravlax

Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home

Julia Child’s Annual Birthday Tribute

Julia Child and Jacques Pépin
Cooking at Home

Joyeux Anniversaire Julia Child! Today would have been Julia’s 110th birthday. It has been an honor, a passion, and a tradition to celebrate her birthday on Taste With The Eyes ever since I started this blog in 2007.

This year, we are watching a super-charming episode of the cooking show Julia and Jacques: Cooking at Home “IT’S SALMON DAY!” where they go on to prepare a half-dozen salmon dishes together.

Here we are going to spotlight their gravlax presentations from the show and from their cookbook. Julia calls hers “Quick Gravlax” and Jacques calls his “Instant Gravlax.” Both different and both fabulous.

Screen Shot: Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home
Screen Shot: Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home

The television series was the inspiration for the cookbook of the same name. In both, one can sense the pleasure the two have cooking together, tasting, exchanging ideas, joshing with each other, and raising a glass to savor the fruits of their labor.

In this one episode Julia gives Jacques a hard time about using black pepper instead of white pepper in a light colored dish…and he gives it right back.

Jacques asks Julia to add salt and pepper to the salmon tartare they are making together.

“Would you rather have black or white pepper?” teases Julia.

“Black, black without any question,” says Jacques.

“You like speckled food,” declares Julia.

“I do. I also like taste in the food and the black pepper has more taste than the white one,” retorts Jacques.

Again and again they demonstrate that cooking is endlessly fascinating and challenging, and while ultimately personal, it is a joy to be shared!

Julia’s Quick Gravlax

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