Alone In The Kitchen With An Old Frenchman

Recently French chef Jacques Pépin turned 80 and retired. Over the years, he educated viewers of Public Television on how to cook and, something that no other cooking show host has done, techniques in the kitchen with wisdom, humor and a smattering of French lessons. As Gilad Edelman wrote in a Slate article, this man will teach you how to cook

Brussels Sprout Love

If left on a desert island, Jacques thinks he’d be quite happy as long as he had some chickens! For Jacques, the prize part of the chicken is the thigh, and he thinks you’ll agree when you try Crusty Chicken Thighs with Mushroom Sauce, served with a tasty Fricassee of Brussels Sprouts and Bacon. An inspired use of instant potato flakes to thicken a soup shows up in the fast-cooking Seafood Chowder topped with fresh crabmeat. To end on a relaxing note, Jacques arranges a presentation of Stilton with Apple and Nuts to accompany a delicious glass of vintage or aged tawny Port.

Crusty Chicken Thighs with Mushroom Sauce (pdf)

Minute Recipe: Cured Salmon Morsels (pdf)

Gravlax is one of my favorite hors d’oeuvres, and I usually present it on buttered bread or cucumber slices. One day when I was slicing salmon, I decided to cut some of it into small cubes, quickly cure them, and serve them on toothpicks. These only take a minute to prepare. The fresher the salmon, the more outstanding the finished morsels.