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

Vegetable Bounty

Guest chef Roland Passot of La Folie Restaurant in San Francisco joins Jacques to taste Endive with Olives; Jacques demonstrates the method for making the dish in the step-by-step recipe. He moves on to prepare a hearty bowl of Stewed Navy Beans followed by a Gratin of Leeks before Roland joins him again to make the Classic Ratatouille and a country dish of Tomatoes Maison.

Classic Ratatouille

The vegetables are sautéed individually in oil before being stewed so they keep their shape and texture. If you prefer, though, you can put all the cubed vegetables into a casserole and top with the seasonings and water; cooked this way, the dish is much less time-consuming to prepare.

Tomatoes Maison

Most any meat — beef, veal, pork, or ham as well as chicken — will work, adding a little richness to the stuffing and transforming leftovers into a fresh new dish.