Julia & Jacques: Cooking at Home

“There’s nothing as good as a good piece of meat”, and as Julia is quick to point out, there is less and less really good (well marbled and aged) beef to be found. Hangar Steak, Skirt Strip, Flank and Ribeye.

Jacques and Julia create some very special desserts in this colorful episode. Poires Belle Helene - poached pear perched atop pound cake drizzled with chocolate sauce; sweet creamy rich and delicious Strawberries Sabayon; and Crepes Suzette, classically flambéed and served with orange butter and powdered sugar, as well as a Hungarian inspired torta of layered crepes baked with raspberry jam.

As a child, one of Julia’s favorite sandwiches was an ice cream sandwich. Jacques was a stick of chocolate between two pieces of bread. Today, Julia’s favorite is the Croque Monsieur, or pressed and baked ham & cheese. Of course, Jacques provides a variation he calls a Croque Madam. A close second they can both agree on is the New England lobster roll, served on a toasted hot dog bun.

Julia and Jacques prepare artichokes—several ways—including artichoke hearts stuffed with spinach and mushroom Duxelle. Julia demonstrates her secret to ever-green cooked string beans and butter bruised peas. Jacques counters with his aromatic Tomato Provencal.

Sounds rather ordinary for this celebrated duet…but here, Jacques and Julia demonstrate why Beef Burgundy and Pot Roast have beens favorite “classic” recipes (here and in France) for what seems like “forever,” and they put their own signature on it “Swiss cheese mashed potatoes” (for the Beef Burgundy), and “soft ribbon noodles” (fort the Pot Roast).

Sole food and more. One of Julia’s most memorable meals was the Sole Meuniere she had on first arriving in Paris after WWII. With Jacques, she recreates this dish, as delightful as ever. The sole is followed by grilled halibut with herbed butter, and poached snapper with beautifully turned and sautéed cucumbers.

This meal is the holiday favorite that is so good, Julia & Jacques recommend it for any day of the year. Roast Turkey with sausage and cornbread stuffing, gravy made the old-fashioned way, accompanied by creamed onions and a zesty Cranberry-Apple Chutney. The “not-quite” which has to be seen, is the inventive way the turkey is cut-up before cooking, roasted and re-assembled for serving.

Four classic soups made from scratch in Julia’s kitchen: aromatic steaming hot French Onion Soup; Vichyssoise, or chilled Leek and Potato soup, as well as an original variation on the theme using watercress; and a hearty Mediterranean fish stew with an authentic rouille. And, because no show about would be complete without Chicken soup, we are presented chicken & noodle and chicken & rice soups.

Eggs: all sizes, all types from chicken to quail to ostrich… soft, scrambled, poached… from omelets to Frittatas to eggs Benedict…not to mention Julia and Jacques scrambling an ostrich egg as voluminous as a dozen and a half Grade A Large.

A classic of the American table--pork chops and applesauce, is the starting point for three J&J improvisations: aromatic grilled, stuffed pork chops with rosemary, served with a tomato, red onion and avocado salad; loin of pork with sautéed red cabbage and apples, and Pork Tenderloin Medallions with port wine and macerated prunes on a bed of orzo.

Julia dons safety goggles and takes up a blowtorch for this hot dessert show. Delectable Creme Caramel and creme Brulé vie for attention with creamy Chocolate Pot de Creme and Profiteroles with Ice Cream and Mocha Anglaise. This show is deliciously and elegantly decadent.

Julia and Jacques share opinions, and know-how, on mussels…and, oysters, clams and shrimp. Jacques shucks, Julia sauces, and they turn out Mussels Mariniere, Billi Bi soup, and Moules Ravigots, along with a classic shrimp cocktail and mignonette sauce.

Perfectly roasted chicken says Julia, is a telltale of a really good cook. Here are three ways to perfectly roasted chicken. Whether whole rack-roasted or trussed and stuffed under the skin with a savory and shallot sauté, or butterflied and roasted with a delicate spice rub, each has a crispy golden brown skin and juicy meat that say “Hmmmm! Great chicken!”

Julia and Jacques demonstrate the art, and the adventure, of the Soufflé. Julia extends the classic cheese soufflé to super-height…and Jacques creates a light, fluffy, flavorful scallop and cheese soufflé in a large casserole. For dessert, a chocolate soufflé and cream roulade. Twinkies were never this good!

Julia and Jacques take the doldrums about of Winter Vegetables, and demonstrate how even vegetables cooked only in season can be a special treat. Braised Cabbage stuffed with a flavorful ground beef and rice filling, one way with onions, celery, garlic and caraway seeds, and another surrounded with tomato sauce.

Julia and Jacques demonstrate recipes for sausage and paté that are right out of the French countryside. Made from scratch sausage and lentil salad, country paté (2 ways), and, for a finale, a grand truffle infused sausage wrapped in fresh baked brioche (recipe also demonstrated).

Poached chicken, chicken pot pie and rustic apple tart dessert. Julia and Jacques show how simple it is to poach a chicken with vegetables, mushrooms and a little white wine, and then take that poaching liquid and use it with the leftover poached chicken for a flaky crusted chicken pot pie. The same simple pastry Julia makes for the pot pie is perfect base for a rustic apple and dried fruit tart.

Start with one large, whole Salmon, and observe as Julia and Jacques transform the fish into Salmon tartar and “Instant Gravlax.” This, of course, is prelude to baking the Salmon in an “only Julia can get away with it” bicycle pump inflated parchment papillote (bag).

First is a Roast of Veal with Wild Mushrooms, Braised Endive, onions and white wine—the aromas just fill the kitchen. Second is a delicious Leg of Lamb, hip bone removed, studded with garlic on a ragout of white beans and pancetta, onions, mushrooms and thyme. And, not only are you shown how to prepare these dishes, but Jacques then demonstrates, step-by-step, how to carve and serve them.

One Potato, two potato, oh, so many potatoes. Julia and Jacques share their tricks, “trucs” and techniques for perfect baked potatoes, airy mashed potatoes, creamy potato casserole, and delightful lighter-than-air crispy-fried pommes soufflés.

Duck is a favorite in restaurants, but often considered too difficult to cook at home. No longer! Julia prepares her original (first shown on The French Chef) pan roasted duck, glazed with shallots and parsnips. And Jacques roasts a whole duck, then combines slices of the juicy duck breast with garlic, mustard and delicate salad greens tossed in garlic, mustard and duck giblets.