Notes about Recipes in this book

• Cold tomato bisque

  • RachaelN on December 16, 2023

    Very simple and delicious. It's great hot.

• Hot leek soup (Parmentier)

  • chawkins on December 13, 2012

    Simple and good. I used the excess vegetable broth (using CIA's the New Professional Chef recipe) I made for brining my Thanksgiving turkey a la Alton Brown and served it hot.

• Celery soup

  • MsMonsoon on January 13, 2021

    This is a mild-flavored soup that uses celery and just a few other items you're likely to have on hand — onion, scallion, dried thyme, vermicelli, and milk. I appreciate soups that use a water base rather than broth because it just seems easier, more economical, and somehow more magical when water turns into a colorful, flavorful soup. I didn’t have vermicelli so I used farfalle and precooked it al dente before adding. While this pretty pale green soup was mild and soothing, I did find myself sprinkling garlic powder on my second bowl.

• Cauliflower soup

  • mpo on February 19, 2025

    This was a quick, easy and delicious soup - perfect for a cold day, I made it even more easy by using an immersion blender instead of pouring into a food processor to purée.

• Dried and fresh mushroom soup

  • AOski on April 21, 2013

    Delicious. Add a quarter cup of brandy to the onion sweat and some dried thyme to the dried mushroom soak.

• Collard greens and grits soup

  • Larkspur on October 15, 2016

    I substituted Kale for the collards (and omitted the stems) with great results.

• Pumpkin and pastina soup

  • twoyolks on March 30, 2014

    I garnished this with olive oil and piment d'esplette which complemented the soup nicely.

• Poultry soup with shredded lettuce

  • GiselleMarie on April 03, 2020

    Leaf lettuce froze in my fridge this week. I remember my maternal grandmother telling me years ago that I could use frozen lettuce in soup like the French do. Jacques Pepin’s recipe is easy and very good! I served it with spinach quiche and Sherry-Glazed Parsnips with Pomegranate (Cooking Light, January/February 2018).

• Lamb barley soup

  • okcook on November 10, 2012

    This make a ton of soup. I had lamb stock and lamb shoulder rather than lamb bones. Cubed the lamb and combined all ingredients except 1/2 the water in a pressure cooker and simmered for 20 minutes after pressure was achieved then added the rest of the water. Excellent

• Lentil and barley soup

  • Breadcrumbs on December 02, 2012

    p. 33 I have to say, this dish really surprised me. No pre-cooking, no sautéing, now browning of meat. Just dump every single ingredient into a pot, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer away. Yes, even the raw sausages, right into the pot, raw. I started it atop the stove then I ended up dumping the boiling mixture into the slow cooker and simmering on low for 3 hours. JP has you puree some of the soup to thicken it. I made this ahead so when I pulled it out of the fridge two days later, it had already thickened up quite nicely. I did put the Bamix in the pot for about 5 seconds and that was enough to put this into a stew-like consistency. We tasted this prior to deciding whether or not to top w the optional cheese and, determined it was rich and flavourful enough all on its own. This made for a wonderful weeknight meal. Mr bc, who is not a soup lover, went back for 3rds!!! Terrific recipe.

  • sgump on July 20, 2021

    Oh! I'd not made this soup in *years.* I don't know why the thought crossed my mind to make it in midsummer--it really does have a fall or winter vibe--but it was as delicious as ever. Herbes de Provence works perfectly here. I resisted the urge to sauté the sausage and aromatics and instead just dumped everything into my 12-quart stockpot (adding each element after I'd prepared it, since the mountain of vegetables naturally wouldn't fit on my cutting board). And because my market had only sweet Italian sausages, I added a healthy pinch of dried red pepper flakes. (Cayenne probably would have been nice, too.) Anyway, besides some vegetable prep, the recipe is simplicity itself. Looking forward to lots of leftovers!

  • sgump on May 13, 2024

    I don’t make this super-simple postage nearly enough! This time, in lieu of the sausage, I added ground turkey (plus a teaspoon each of Italian herb seasoning, dried red chili pepper flakes, and brown sugar)—more than the recipe called for. I can say that the 5 oz of meat is more than adequate. Had to add a bit more salt to compensate. Was finished cooking (in the large stockpot) in about 75 minutes. The leftovers will be superb! Oh—for next time, I’m thinking that chopped turnips would make a nice addition (perhaps cut similarly to the carrots).

• Garlicky romaine with croutons

  • twoyolks on February 17, 2021

    Really nice dressing if similar to any other vinaigrette. I over fried my croutons which seems to be easy to do.

• Romaine with creamy yogurt dressing

  • TrishaCP on September 11, 2022

    Extremely simple dressing that will highlight the herbs that you choose (I used chives).

• "Caesar" salad with blue cheese

  • twoyolks on October 15, 2015

    The creaminess of the blue cheese goes well in this salad which helps with the lack of creaminess from the dressing. As the recipe is written, it's a pretty small salad (not enough for a main course).

• Composed salad of greens, goat cheese, and caramelized pecans

  • bktravels on October 02, 2020

    Very easy to assemble and delicious. I used Cortland apples that we had just picked. I also used some leftover balsamic vinaigrette instead of making this dressing. I think next time I will try an apple cider vinegar dressing with this salad. The pecans were so simple to make and absolutely delicious.

  • TrishaCP on December 13, 2020

    Easy and delicious- a special occasion salad that totally works for a home meal. (Especially if you do the pecans in advance.)

• Carrot and celery root salad in mustard dressing

  • Cheri on April 25, 2012

    This was ok. Would be a decent BBQ side. I cheated and just used the suggested mayo/dijon mustard combo for dressing, which was a little too rich. Mr. C did not like this. Served with roasted chicken, but would like it with grilled sausage better. Very quick to put together. A little goes a long way on this one, don't over dress.

• Cucumber, dill, and mint summer salad

  • Delys77 on September 20, 2022

    Slight cheat on this one as I was out of fresh herbs and had some cucumbers to use up. Pepin to the rescue it seems!!! Even with dried herbs this was still quite good. Nice balance of sweet/salty/tartness with the lovely crisp texture of the cucumbers. Easy and tasty!

• Tomato, red onion, and orange salad

  • L.Nightshade on August 01, 2012

    Red onions are sliced, as are navel oranges. Tomatoes are chopped, parsley is tossed in. The salad is dressed with a mix of sherry vinegar, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. As tomatoes are not that great around these parts, even when they are in season, I used cherry tomatoes, which seem to maintain more flavor year around. I quartered the onion slices and halved orange sections, just for uniformity with the cherry toms. I used a sweet red onion, as the standard red onions we've been getting have been annoyingly hot lately. This is a quick and easy salad, with bright, contrasting colors and flavors. It worked well with the chicken ballottine, but would be great with beef or fish also. I'll be happy to try it again in the late summer when we have a chance at better tomatoes.

• Potato omelet

  • Delys77 on February 02, 2024

    One of the simpler versions I’ve done but turns out perfectly. More filling than egg makes this a bit more dense and filling which is good. I also think the method works very well and comes together more quickly than most. I used the mandolin to very thinly slice the potatoes which worked well.

• Eggs Jeannette

  • twoyolks on February 21, 2017

    I made this after reading about it in Jacques Pépin's biography. The eggs are nice with a simple filling. Make sure to distribute the garlic well. I liked the sauce that was served with it a lot.

• Egg and spinach gratin

  • twoyolks on September 18, 2012

    Very easy and quick dinner. It was very good served with toast.

• Quiche with bacon

  • stef on March 09, 2020

    Quick to make but needs an hour in the oven. You don't prebake the crust. Next time I would reduce the milk to 1 cup but keep the cream the same amount. Way too much filling for a 10" tart pan.

• Leek and Gruyère quiche

  • chawkins on September 18, 2012

    Served with a salad, simple and light dinner. The crust stayed crisp, did not get soggy. I did not have any cream on hand, so substituted with evaporated milk and it worked well.

• Grits and cheese soufflé

  • twoyolks on June 06, 2017

    Nice but not any better than a regular cheese soufflé. The onions are a bit weird to bite into and the grits give a bit of a weird texture.

• Tomato, basil, and cheese soufflés

  • twoyolks on July 10, 2016

    The actual souffle was nice but the tomato shells, while pretty, didn't work with the rest of the dish. I did find the souffle to be weirdly reminiscent of a crab dip.

• Fromage fort

  • mfto on December 29, 2011

    This is a very good way to use up bits and pieces of cheese for an appetizer.

  • TrishaCP on November 26, 2016

    Incredible use of leftover cheeses. I made half the recipe, and it seems like a lot. I had a mix of blue, Saint Angel, and manchego, and I would say the blue is the prominent flavor (even though I had the most manchego).

• Ziti with sausage and vegetables

  • Breadcrumbs on January 08, 2012

    p. 94 - After a very busy January Saturday I needed a quick and tasty dinner solution and I’m happy to report JP delivered, on both counts, even if I did make an omission to his recipe. Our last stop before heading home was at an Italian market where I picked up some hot Italian Sausage and some rapini w a pretty traditional pasta dish in mind. Just prior to doing this my way, I decided to do a quick EYB search and found this recipe. Since corn is neither in season or, my freezer, I decided to carry on w the recipe and, omit the corn. The sweetness of the tomatoes balanced the bitterness of rapini. We really enjoyed JP’s twist of using pecorino Romano. The earthiness of this cheese added a new and delightful flavour profile to the dish. Quick, simple and delicious, I’ll happily recommend this one and, will most definitely make it again. I definitely look forward to trying it w the corn during the summertime.

  • Queezle_Sister on June 29, 2015

    This is a simple recipe that can easily be tweaked to match your pantry & refrigerator contents. Its quick, the result tasty, and its a good dinner solution for a busy day.

  • chawkins on March 12, 2020

    A healthy pasta dish, at first the corn seemed out of place, but after sampling the result, the sweetness of the corn perfectly balanced the bitterness of the broccoli rabe.

  • Delys77 on June 15, 2021

    He states in the pre-amble that this dish is very flexible, which it is. I didn't think my son would like rapini, in fact I find it a bit bitter myself, so we went with cabbage which we had in the fridge. I finely sliced it and added it a bit earlier in the cooking process. It went well with the corn and tomatoes and the result was healthy, light, and very tasty. I did mince the tomatoes to get them by my son, and my husband, but they cooked down nicely and added some brightness to the dish without making it like a tomato sauce. A winner in our books. Would also be good with whole wheat pasta I think.

• Pasta shells with ricotta filling

  • heatherlee on August 05, 2019

    These were good but next time I will add mozzarella cheese to the filling and puree the tomato sauce before pouring over the shells. I will also scale up the filling to use a whole 32 oz container of ricotta.

• Penne au gratin

  • Delys77 on September 16, 2021

    Not bowled over by this one. It might be that I used a cheddar that was too mild but I found the sauce a bit boring. Usually my mornay has some dijon, and perhaps nutmeg. I also thought the tomatoes did very little for the dish.

• Ricotta dumplings with red pepper sauce

  • ashallen on December 09, 2021

    Nice recipe. The tomato-red pepper sauce was fresh-tasting and went very well with the cheesy dumplings. Canned whole tomatoes worked well as a substitute for fresh. The dumplings were tasty and definitely tender but a bit heavier than I'd hoped they be. I haven't had this type of this dish before, so I don't know if they came out as expected. Overall, though, I liked it and look forward to trying out some other recipes. This recipe dirties a fair number of dishes for a relatively modest quantity of food - I think I'd like it better doubled. Also, my food mill balked at pureeing the tomato-pepper mixture which just wasn't tender enough to squeeze through those little holes. I then tried a potato ricer - bad idea! Pureeing everything (skins and all) in the blender worked, though, and had the side benefit of creating a puree that didn't need beating to emulsify the oil + butter after they were stirred in. Leftovers froze well.

• Brown rice and onion pilaf

  • TrishaCP on September 14, 2014

    This made a fragrant and tasty brown rice dish. The star to me was the chile powder- the minimum amount called for added such flavor and pop to the rice. This is a definite keeper.

• Broccoli and rice stew

  • Cheri on April 11, 2012

    This was excellent! Be careful with the stock amt, 3 cups is plenty, I had to cook a bit of the liquid off with the pan lid off at the end, before adding the cheese. I substituted a combination of grated swiss/gruyere, and used more like a cup of grated cheese. It was yummy, and quite filling. Served with grilled pork chops.

• Green couscous

  • kysia_xjs3fi on June 07, 2026

    This was a great side. We served it with snapper. Having most of the ingredients either in the garden or pantry made it a quick fix. It was a little dry but packed with flavor. When we make it again I might add a toasted nut for texture variation.

• Buttered potatoes with parsley

  • Bloominanglophile on August 19, 2013

    This recipe is so easy that it hardly needs to be included in a cookbook--it is probably intuitive to anyone who has cooked for a bit. Regardless, I decided to follow it so I could mark it in my cookbook and rate it on this site! Easy and quick for a weeknight, I used fingerling potatoes with my Idaho potato, and all was good. I cut everything about the same size, but didn't pretty them up like it calls for in the recipe. I did add some sea salt along with kosher salt, for a nice crunch to the butter-slicked potatoes.

• Potatoes savonnettes

  • twoyolks on February 21, 2017

    These were pretty bland. They do look a lot like seared scallops.

• Paillasson potatoes (Pommes Darphin / Rösti)

  • Cubro on December 12, 2016

    From the show?

• Baker's wife potatoes (Pommes de terre à la boulangère)

  • SenseiHeidi on January 08, 2020

    Great flavor. Baked for 50 minutes and potatoes were fall-apart. Next time check earlier for scalloped potato texture. Mixed with leftover pulled pork for a one pot dinner - next time add a salad.

  • Delys77 on February 10, 2025

    Agreed on the baking duration as ours were also a bit over cooked. I'd likely also go with a bit less liquid. That said, lovely flavour on this and very easy. Great for a lazy weekend on a cold day where the oven does most of the work. A nice alternative to a heavier gratin style potato dish.

  • chawkins on March 10, 2026

    I made a quarter of the recipe with red-skinned potatoes and really enjoyed it. Need to check it a bit earlier next time as the top was a bit overcooked.

• Sautéed potato slices

  • TrishaCP on May 24, 2016

    Solid easy side when you just want a basic potato dish. We used a cast iron skillet so these got nice and browned and crispy.

• "Cream puff" potato fritters

  • marthadumptruck on February 14, 2012

    Deelightful! Would benefit from the addition of some chives.

• Skillet sweet potatoes

  • twoyolks on November 09, 2014

    The sweet potatoes will burn very quickly so be aware. The texture of the cooked potatoes seemed unusual to me; they were fully cooked but not as soft as I prefer.

• Bread galettes on salad greens

  • Bloominanglophile on May 25, 2013

    Making lunch for my family today ( low larder!) almost looked like an impossibility until I stumbled onto this recipe. I did use my cook's creative license and subbed ingredients: I used 1/2 cup each of diced yellow pepper and onion, and 1/3 cup thinly sliced celery for the veg. I sautéed this with 1 tsp olive oil, and toward the end added the garlic. Along with chives, I added about 1 Tbsp. freshly chopped thyme. The salad was also changed to romaine lettuce. To pad out the salad I added some cucumber, radish and tomato wedges and just used a light coating of Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar dressing. Really a nice lunch, especially for those warmer days when you don't want something rich or heavy. And it obviously is a flexible recipe! I personally would serve it as a light lunch or dinner, but not as a first course. I would also make 1 & 1/2 times the recipe to feed four people.

• Croques-monsieur

  • heatherlee on September 05, 2022

    This particular croques-monsieur recipe does not call for béchamel sauce. That simplifies the preparation. Without the sauce, I think something else is needed for interest. Next time I make this I will add some mustard when assembling the sandwiches.

• Mussels in cream sauce

  • emiliang on May 30, 2014

    Exquisite even without the thyme, especially if served with good French bread. I'm not sure if I would call this a main course, though. It's more like a light supper.

• Salmon fillets in basil sauce

  • chawkins on July 07, 2018

    Quick, simple and easy. But it is not really a basil sauce, rather it is a tomato sauce with basil leaves in it, tasty none the less.

  • TrishaCP on September 09, 2018

    This was definitely quick and easy! And really tasty to boot. I served it with polenta.

  • heatherlee on January 08, 2022

    This was very good. There's much more tomato than basil in the sauce.

• Puerto Rican pork and beans

  • AOski on January 08, 2012

    Usually I'm leery of any recipe whose primary braising liquid is water...things have ended blandly in the past...but rest assure that isn't a problem here! The process for making this braise is dead simple and the ingredients play wonderfully together. Some thoughts and changes: 1) I omitted the cilantro. I like it...but the boyfriend doesn't. Whatda ya gonna do? 2) I added an additional jalapenos. 3) Pulled the pork. I think the presentation looks a little more grown up and country-style ribs can be pretty fatty...even with the best trimming. 4) In the absence of cilantro, I used some green onion as a garnish. 5) Be aware that while the method was easy that, like any braise, this does take some time. A lovely, simple dish I look forward to making again!

  • twoyolks on October 15, 2015

    This is easy and simple. It can also easily be made a day in advance. I do think the recipe could've used more acid and umami flavors but it was good overall.

• Chicken in tarragon sauce

  • Breadcrumbs on January 08, 2012

    p. 262 - I added about 3/4 cup of chicken stock in addition to JP’s suggested poaching ingredients to ensure my plump (chicken) breasts cooked properly. This also meant I needed to spend a little more time reducing the cooking liquid to 1 cup however the flavours of the broth concentrated nicely and the splash of cream was just enough to take the somewhat bitter edge off the vermouth-infused stock and, soften all the flavours. We really enjoyed this dish and the gentle tarragon infused cream sauce over the tender chicken that really impressed us. A very nice dish indeed.

  • TrishaCP on March 28, 2012

    A beautiful delicately flavored chicken dish- the tarragon flavor isn't too strong for those that are only "iffy" about its flavors. (And for those that love tarragon, you may want to go a bit stronger.) I served with roasted potatoes and a salad. I followed Breadcrumb's lead and added additional chicken stock since I also had fat chicken breasts that needed covering, and that amendment works well. A final note- before the cream and tarragon are added, the poaching liquid tastes very bitter- but don't let that throw you, all will be well in the end.

  • Delys77 on November 23, 2022

    We lightened this up a bit by using half and Half and it split during the reduction. I think you have to go with the full fat cream, or reduce the broth and then add the half and half just at the end. Overall not bad flavour from relatively little effort. The poaching method does result in moist chicken but I cooked for about 17 minutes and they could have had a few more minutes. Overall nice and easy, but not likely a repeat for us.

  • ashallen on December 28, 2020

    This was a relatively quick and easy "one pot" dish and we enjoyed the flavors of the creamy tarragon sauce with the chicken. I didn't care for the texture of the chicken, however - by the time the thickest parts reached 160-165F, the thinner parts were overcooked and tougher than I prefer. I used the 7 oz breasts and liquid quantities specified in the recipe and cooked over medium/medium-low heat for 15 minutes, flipping the chicken cutlets periodically, hoping that the slightly longer cooking time would result in more even cooking. Based on TrishCP's and Breadcrumbs' notes, it sounds like adding more stock would have been the better approach! Since my husband prefers this type of sauce to be smooth, I strained the solids from the cooking liquid - worked well and the sauce was still delicious.

• Stewed crinkled kale

  • Breadcrumbs on January 08, 2012

    p. 436 - The ingredients in this dish are pretty common however the preparation method was new to me. Kale is washed and trimmed, garlic is chopped then oil is placed in a pan over medium heat along with the chopped garlic and hot pepper flakes. Once the garlic sizzles and starts to brown, the kale is tossed in along w 1.5 cups of water. The mixture is then brought to a boil over medium-high heat until the water has almost evaporated. JP indicates it can be served hot or, at room temp.We opted to serve it at room temp alongside our NY Strip Roast (an Epi recipe). This was a tasty dish and I can’t honestly say I noticed anything particularly different in terms of flavour vs other kale dishes I’ve made without stewing the greens. I will say that the greens were much softer for the boiling process - a feature that appealed to mr bc (who’s not a lover of anything green unless it’s furniture or paint). I wouldn’t repeat this recipe as I prefer a simpler prep and crisper greens.

• Chicken African-style with couscous

  • Sally on January 08, 2012

    The crispy chicken was succulent and enhanced by the caramelized onions and the flavors of marinade (some acidity, sweetness and a little heat from the red pepper flakes). The next time I might make the whole marinade so we have more of the sauce and onions. The couscous (made with a touch of melted butter) made this a complete meal. We served this with Glazed Carrots with Olives – not sure if it was the perfect pairing, but delicious nonetheless.

• Chicken chasseur

  • Breadcrumbs on January 29, 2012

    p. 264 With some boneless, skinless chicken thighs defrosting in the fridge and some fresh pasta to use up, an EYB search of Pepin's recipes didn't really produce a pasta dish that inspired me. I remembered Goblin's post on Chowhound and thought I'd adapt this dish and use it as a pasta sauce vs a stew-like meal. To make this dish pasta friendly, I chopped my chicken thighs and, substituted chopped canned tomatoes for whole ones. Other ingredients worth noting...I used Vidalia onions which imparted a lovely sweetness to the sauce that balance the acidity of the tomatoes and wine. My mushrooms were cremini so the sauce also had an earthy flavour. I opted to garnish with fresh tarragon since we love all things anise flavoured! This is quite a "saucy" dish so it really did lend itself well to pasta. Everyone really enjoyed the dish and there were no leftovers at all. Happy to recommend this quick and tasty recipe.

  • chawkins on September 21, 2012

    The leek and tarragon made this a very nice variation of the more familiar chicken cacciatore. I had to use all dried herbs as my herb garden is in sad shape this year, even the rosemary is not doing well. Did not add mushrooms either, as my husband is allergic to them. Will definitely make again with fresh herbs, or even dried herbs.

  • sasha1310 on May 29, 2026

    It was an easy recipe and very delicious. I also looked at his YouTube video where he shared how to make its

• Broccoli velvet puree

  • Breadcrumbs on January 29, 2012

    p. 417 - The rich and creamy results achieved with only 2 tbsp of butter came as quite a surprise and transformed this dish from good to great! I added 1 heaped tbsp of jalapeno vs the 1tsp suggested by JP and, wouldn't change that at all next time around. The subtle heat and freshness of the pepper really balanced the pungency of the broccoli and brightened the puree. Thoroughly enjoyed by all and the big shocker was the the broccoli-hating mr bc LOVED this dish! Definitely a keeper. Happy to recommend.

• Country apple galette

  • jaelsne on October 23, 2023

    Delicious and relatively easy to make.

  • DDPGirl001 on June 06, 2024

    Easy. Excellent crust. Used a combination of pear and apple. Delicious!

  • Larkspur on February 25, 2021

    Delicious and the bottom crust was fairly crisp

  • chawkins on March 19, 2020

    Love this. The filling was sweetened with just a couple tablespoons of honey and one and half tablespoons of sugar to let the apples shine, the short crust was crisp and airy and quite easy to work with. I used a mix of granny Smith and pink lady apples.

• Cod à l'Espagnole

  • vickster on February 10, 2016

    Very good fish dish, but I made a few changes. I added Aleppo pepper flakes, regular onion instead of scallions, 14.5 oz. can tomatoes instead of fresh, and added 1/2 cup white and 1/2 cup water.

  • Delys77 on October 19, 2022

    This was rated as ok by the kids but much liked by the adults. I used 2 pieces of mahi mahi and 1 piece of cod as that is what we had and both resulted in a nice piece of moist fish. I did go with the full sauce ingredients for the 3 filets and would do this again as the vegetable accompaniment is very nice, both visually and in terms of flavour. We cut the oil by half and were very happy with the result. I agree a splash of white wine would be nice. Finished with a squeeze of lemon. Overall a nice light dinner well suited to a more adult palette unless you have fish/veggie loving kids.

• Gratin Parmentier

  • vickster on February 17, 2017

    Shepherd's pie French-ified and taken up a notch -- delicious! Great way to use up leftover roast beef, and I will definitely make this comfort dish again. (Note to self - halve recipe next time for husband and I)..

  • twoyolks on January 16, 2017

    A good way to use up leftover braised beef. It tastes like a French version of shepherd's pie.

• Artichokes in foaming butter sauce

  • JoanN on April 04, 2021

    Made one huge globe artichoke. Probably the best preparation for artichoke I've ever made. Artichoke is submerged in boiling water and cooked for about 35 minutes so it's easy to remove the choke and because the top 1½ inches of the artichoke is trimmed (more than I usually trim them), most of the inner leaves can be eaten in their entirely. Sauce is light and lemony. Altogether perfect.

• Grilled or pan-seared marinated flank steak

  • JoanN on August 07, 2013

    Very, very good; thin sauce with water so there will be more of it and consider serving with mashed potatoes or something else to soak up the sauce.

• Braised stuffed flank steak

  • DJM on February 03, 2013

    A impressive and delicous dinner party dish. The only stressful part is cutting the pocket in the flank steak. Using arrowroot to thicken the sauce makes a nicely thickened but not gluey texture.

• Marinated mushrooms

  • okcook on December 02, 2018

    Jacques has done it again. These are very easy to make. I like that there is a minimal amount of fat in the marinade. I did add some Chili flakes because that’s what we like. I will be making these again.

• Chicken legs with wine and yams

  • okcook on March 26, 2012

    I agree. Very easy and fast to make and a little different with the yams.

  • chawkins on April 15, 2013

    Together with a green salad, this is a quick weeknight meal. Unusual but tasty combination of ingredients, I left out the mushrooms as my husband has an aversion to them, I also halved the recipe.

  • BlytheSpirit on February 27, 2012

    This is an easy and homey weeknight meal - very satisfying and inexpensive.

• Caramelized mushrooms with shallots

  • okcook on June 21, 2012

    The mushroom flavor gets concentrated with the sautéing over 25 minutes. Excellent with steak.

• Blender Hollandaise

  • TrishaCP on May 12, 2014

    This was very light tasting, but the consistency was too thin for the sauce to coat the vegetables that I served.

• Spicy chicken breasts

  • TrishaCP on August 05, 2016

    The spice rub was subtle and delicious. I also had to increase the cooking time-my rather large chicken breasts were still pink after the time specified.

  • twoyolks on November 24, 2013

    The technique produced a very juicy chicken breast. However, we did not care for the spice rub.

  • thecharlah on January 25, 2016

    Surprisingly good and so simple. The oven cooking time had to be greatly increased due to the size of chicken breasts available. I think the rub would also be good on salmon.

  • ellwell on January 08, 2025

    We liked the spice rub- a little something different. It went well with the mushroom/shallot combination from the same book, which I mixed into some brown basmati rice. Served with broccoli for a light, basic but satisfying meal

• Corn and pepper sauté

  • TrishaCP on September 12, 2017

    Very easy side dish. I did find that I preferred the peppers cooked more than the time specified in the recipe, closer to 8 minutes. However, both the corn and peppers took the additional cook time I used to no ill effect.

• Duck liver pâté

  • L.Nightshade on August 01, 2012

    I had a couple duck livers left from roasting two ducks, so made this pâté. It's very similar to my regular chicken liver pâté, but, oh what a difference those ducks make! The recipe calls for the use of duck fat, which I hadn't reserved. I had, however, reserved and frozen the fat rendered when I had seared some foie gras. So that is what I used. I served this on an inappropriate bun, sliced and toasted, with slivers of apple. Easy and delicious!

• Glazed carrots with olives

  • L.Nightshade on August 01, 2012

    I made this dish as part of a dinner for a largish group, so I doubled the recipe. I don't always like the baby carrots sold in bags, but I couldn't find any bundled carrots, so I bought a couple bags of organic babies. They were very tasty, as it turned out, even just for raw munching. I used oil cured Moroccan olives, and pitting the olives was the only real labor involved in this easy dish. I think perhaps I should have halved the olives, just for a more even distribution. I didn't really get a glaze as described, just a trace of a buttery coat. I thought this dish was quite good, and very colorful. I'm happy to have some leftover, as they still taste quite nice the next day.

• Piquant steamed broccoli with lemon sauce

  • L.Nightshade on August 01, 2012

    I steamed my broccoli on a plate in a bamboo steamer, then added the mix of lemon juice, olive oil, Cholula (same ingredients as Tabasco), and salt. Easy, tasty, healthy.

  • chawkins on March 19, 2014

    Just like the previous reviewer said, quick, easy, tasty and healthy.

• Braised pork roast with sweet potatoes

  • L.Nightshade on August 01, 2012

    This dish is made with a boneless pork roast. It starts out on the stovetop for an hour with a liquid composed of water, soy sauce, Tabasco, red wine vinegar, honey, and cumin. Then sliced sweet potatoes and wedges of onion are added. After 15 more minutes on the stove, it goes into the oven, uncovered, for 45 minutes. The meat was cooked, the vegetables were tender, but the sauce never became "dark and caramelized" as written. Nothing horribly wrong with the dish, but nothing great either. And having recently cooked a Vietnamese caramelized pork dish, this one was pale in comparison. Edible, but no second helpings and not too excited about the leftovers. P.S. The pan was a mess to clean up.

  • kateastoria on October 26, 2021

    Dull flavors, undercooked veggies even when cutting the yams into chunks rather than the 1 1/5" slices as directed. Honey overrides everything else in the sauce. Wouldn't make this again.

• Sausage and potato ragout

  • L.Nightshade on August 01, 2012

    I was looking for something cozy and easy, and this fit the bill. I deviated from the recipe by using unpeeled baby red potatoes instead of the peeled fingerlings that were called for. I had hot Italian sausage in large links. In spite of pulling all the sausage meat out, reworking it, and shaping it into balls, they kept turning back into little cylinders. Something in their DNA, I guess. The sausage balls are cooked first in a small amount of water, then the water is cooked off, the sausage is removed, and the drippings are made into a roux. Then more water is added along with sausage, potatoes, onions, garlic, bay, thyme, and jalapeno. When it is all cooked, and the sauce is nicely reduced, parsley goes on top. This was perfect for a snowy evening. My sausage was pretty hot, so that plus the jalapeno made it spicy and warming. Not a company dish, but easy, homey, and comforting. I served the zucchini and tomato fans as a side dish.

  • chawkins on October 15, 2014

    Spicy, comforting and very easy. Toughest part of the recipe was to shape the sausages into balls. I guess my sausage were somewhat lean, I did not have enough dripping to make a roux, so I just added a little bit of olive oil

• Zucchini and tomato fans

  • L.Nightshade on August 01, 2012

    Zucchini are sliced but left attached at the stem end. They are then fanned out and sliced tomato and garlic are placed between the slices. The fans are then brushed with oil and dusted with salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes. I have made zucchini fans like this before, but I liked the addition of the herbes, it really gave it that South of France feel. And although I had very wimpy winter tomatoes, roasting them rather brought out the flavor. Easy to prepare, and bright on the plate.

• Steamed cod on tapenade

  • L.Nightshade on August 01, 2012

    This was a perfectly edible dish. The tapenade was very good, I could see using it again; the small amount of fig imparted a surprisingly figgy flavor in each bite. But the cod just sat there, and the flavors didn't really marry. Yes, you could get a bite of tapenade and a bite of fish on the fork, and it was tasty. But I've done several similar recipes from other COTMs where the fish is cooked with vegetables and/or olives, and the flavors truly meld. I can think of three other dishes offhand, but the fish en papillote with tomatoes, olives, and orange zest from Gourmet Yesterday particularly springs to mind. In that dish the flavors impregnated the fish so that each bite revealed a delightful synergy of flavor. This dish is a pretty one, however that only raised my expectations, which were somewhat dashed.

• Chicken ballottine stuffed with spinach, cheese, and bread

  • L.Nightshade on August 01, 2012

    Too much to say on this one. Bottom line: tasty dish with an impressive presentation. More info and photos in my review here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/825942#7061701

• Cherry bread pudding

  • apattin on June 28, 2019

    I made 1.5 times the recipe and it fit in a 6 cup baker. Very tasty although I would use a bit less sugar next time and use try for more sweet/sour contrast

• Asparagus in mustard sauce

  • kath on April 23, 2012

    The Mustard Sauce is super quick and easy and is absolutely phenomenal. It was very good with the asparagus, but my family all added it to the Easter ham as well, and everyone was thinking of all of the delicious ways it could be used. This could be a staple in my refrigerator!!

• Grilled pork tenderloin paillards with rosemary

  • Thredbende on July 18, 2012

    Page 361. This recipe calls for fresh rosemary leaves (needles) ground with salt and pepper, then rubbed on raw tenderloin. I used the pork chops I had and made a major new find in grilling deliousness. This fresh rub would be great on everything from catfish to sliced, oiled potatoes.

  • Delys77 on January 11, 2022

    Easy peasy and delicious

• Grilled thyme pork chops

  • Delys77 on April 14, 2021

    Very easy this one. Chops were a bit thinner so I did for 3 minutes on one side and 2 on the other. Overall good but better with a solid squeeze of lemon at the end. Overall very simple but good.

• Grilled marinated pork tenderloin

  • Delys77 on September 13, 2021

    Prepared this recipe as written, except that I doubled the recipe. The pork marinated for about 3 hours and cooked for 13 minutes or so and went into a 175 oven for 8 minutes (my oven doesn't go as low as 150). The result is nice but make sure you oil those grates as my loin stuck quite a bit to the grill due to the sugar. Flavour wise this is quite nice and the pork had subtle heat from the 1 jalapeño I used. I do think there is a fair bit of fish sauce in this which gives a nice flavour but there was a definite funk in the air, which is fine but my little one objected to it a bit. He did enjoy it but we had to get him past the smell.

  • Jdot on September 09, 2024

    I skipped the honey and it was still great. I added a little fresh cilantro to the marinade and I might go easier on the fish-sauce next time I make this.

• Sautéed napa cabbage

  • Delys77 on February 10, 2025

    Very simple recipe, but works a treat. The butter is lovely and the napa is succulent and a bit silky with this steam/saute approach. I will say there is a bit of water in the pan so I would likely let drain much longer before the initial steaming as it was done cooking before all the water had evaporated so it made for a slightly wet side.

• Poached salmon in ravigote sauce

  • Delys77 on January 31, 2023

    This was dinner for the family last night and it was well received by all. The sauce is lovely with a nice hit of acidity and a good balance of richness from the oil and the salmon. We like fish with a fair bit of lemon so I did add a touch more than called for. I didn't rinse the capers very much, again with a view to increasing the tang of the sauce. On my induction range the fish came back to a boil in far less than 2 minutes, but i stuck to a total cooking time of 7 minutes and this was good for us. There was the slightest tinge of pink at the centre of the filets, which was perfect for us. Served with coho salmon, which is also our favourite. A repeat for sure.

• Chicken diable

  • Delys77 on August 18, 2022

    This was an interesting one for us as it is very similar to a sauce my French Canadian mother makes for fondue called la sauce du diable. Essentially a vinegary tomato sauce with lots of garlic. I liked it quite a bit but I will admit to using boneless skinless breasts which did toughen a bit during the cooking process, but the flavour was there. I bet with a nice bone in whole chicken segmented into serving pieces this would be quite good.

• Turkey scaloppini

  • Delys77 on September 27, 2022

    Used chicken breast as that is what I had on hand and it worked very well. Cut back on the butter a bit and used half and half and it was still rich enough. I went with a bit of wine instead of the bourbon, again based on what we had on hand and it was lovely. The sauce is nice and smooth with a pronounced mushroom flavour. Straining the mushrooms out was very easy and made for a much nicer presentation but still with all the flavour.

• Sautéed cauliflower with bread crumbs and eggs

  • kscooley on December 17, 2012

    Everyone loves this - so yummy!

• Chocolate oatmeal cookies

  • jbuchman on April 28, 2013

    Page 558. These burn very quickly on the bottom, so use parchment or a silpat, and a light-colored baking sheet.

• Almond shortbread cookies

  • twoyolks on December 18, 2017

    The cookies are nice but I found them to be just a bit dry.

• Grilled chicken with tarragon butter

  • twoyolks on September 27, 2020

    The tarragon butter is really good. The chicken itself is just basic grilled chicken.

• Baked Swiss chard

  • twoyolks on April 05, 2016

    Just basic baked Swiss chard with some cheese. The cheese melts in clumps which means there are bites with either no cheese or a lot of cheese.

  • chawkins on May 11, 2020

    Enjoyed the first of our garden chard with this simple and tasty recipe.

• Banana bread pudding

  • twoyolks on December 10, 2016

    This took a long time to set and the ratio of liquid to bread didn't seem to be correct. It also didn't taste particularly good.

• Dark turkey fricassee

  • twoyolks on March 28, 2013

    It took about 50% longer to cook than the recipe called for (mainly to cook the rice).

• Baked salmon in green herb sauce

  • PirateJohn on April 03, 2018

    Use hoja santos.

• Arctic char in savory broth

  • katiesue28 on September 30, 2022

    This was a simple and fast light supper. My only alteration for the future would be to use a larger piece of lemon peel and then take it out of the broth prior to serving.

• Tuna steaks with tapenade coating

  • sheri_iwd5y8 on March 02, 2026

    Deglaze pan with wine for a pan sauce. No oven needed, rare is best!

• Monkfish à l'Américaine

  • sheri_iwd5y8 on January 22, 2026

    The sauce is heavenly

• Grilled swordfish with spicy yogurt sauce

  • sheri_iwd5y8 on February 22, 2026

    Delicious. I added a little vinegar to the sauce

• Flaked cod with zucchini, tomatoes, and black olives

  • ChefGrumpy on August 25, 2023

    Excellent. And really easy to pull together. Servet it with cous cous and a salad

• Pasta gratin with fish and spinach

  • mjes on September 23, 2021

    This is a solid recipe for using left-over fish - think a fish and spinach pasta casserole with white sauce and Parmesan on top. It is rather bland so add a few herbs.

• Roast turkey with mushroom stuffing

  • ellwell on November 26, 2022

    This turned out pretty dry and flavorless, It needs doctoring up next time—maybe more garlic and some chicken stock.

• Turkey cutlets in anchovy-lemon sauce

  • chawkins on February 06, 2015

    Quick and easy and quite tasty. I used chicken cutlets and halved the recipe, used two anchovy fillets and about 1/2 tbs of anchovy oil. The cutlets were pan-fried in a mixture of butter and anchovy oil, I was worried that the whole dish would taste fishy, but it turned out fine.

• Roast woodcock with cabbage in bread cases

  • Barb_N on January 26, 2015

    We were treated to the cabbage portion of this recipe (p 303-304) to accompany braised pork shoulder. The prosciutto added a savory note without overpowering; skipped the caraway seeds. Will keep this on the list.

• Braised lamb chops and potatoes

  • chawkins on January 23, 2014

    Great flavor with simple ingredients. The top layer of potatoes in the gratin dish also got crisp after an hour and a quarter in the oven, a bonus.

• Lamb steaks with soy, vinegar, and garlic

  • Jw4144 on April 02, 2026

    Wonderful fast and easy dish. Will definitely make again. Sauce is dependent on the quality of balsamic vinegar used. I used an 18 year aged balsamic which balanced its tartness with sweet notes. When sauce was reduced down enough to get the right consistency it became a little too salty so added another 1/4 cup of water and a little corn starch to thicken it up. Sauce tastes a bit pungent on its own but when served on the meat it mellows out.

• Irish lamb stew

  • chawkins on March 28, 2020

    I used this recipe only as a guideline, as I cooked it in the IP and I used cut up lamb shoulder steaks. I browned the steaks first on Saute, then cut into bite-size pieces, returned to the pot together with a bit of onion, carrots, celery, c-bliss and a cup of chicken broth and water mix, HP for 20 minutes, NR for 15 minutes, removed the mushy vegetables, added cut up fresh ones, HP for another 5 minutes, QR, added back the mashed up mushy veggies to thicken the sauce and then the peas and parsley. Quite good.

• Lamb shanks with white beans

  • chawkins on May 11, 2020

    Very good, it took an extra half an hour to get my beans to be done, and another half or the lamb to be tender but still not quite fell off the bone.

  • katryna on March 07, 2026

    Used dried beans instead of canned beans but they were pretty old so I was worried I didn’t soak them enough and that they wouldn’t be good (especially since another time I made dried beans, they had a kind of papery texture). I needn’t have worried because the beans actually turned out fine. Cooked the lamb shanks for longer than the last time I made shanks so the meat turned out even better, very tender. Got the shanks from a local butcher’s shop. Was lucky because they only had one in the display case but did have more in the back.

• Pork tenderloin medallions in Port

  • ashallen on August 02, 2021

    Very tasty and easy to make. I was both curious and hesitant about using ketchup, port, and sage for the sauce, but I should have had more faith in J. Pepin - it was great. I used a sweet ruby port so it was a bit sweet and a bit tangy. The ketchup disappears into the background. Pork medallions were lightly seared on the outside but still tender.

• Slow-cooked pork roast

  • MyKitchenInHalfCups on January 04, 2026

    I made this with a 2 pound pork shoulder. I didn’t have cayenne pepper (or couldn’t find it) used a little red pepper flakes. This was way spicier than anticipated with what I used. The meat wasn’t tender or juicy. At 250° for 1 hour 35 minutes. Not much inclined to try again. 2nd day as leftovers: cubed slices of this meat and added it to some leftover chicken and steak then mixed with roasted veggies … The meat is well flavored and more tender; enjoyed this as leftovers much more the 2nd day.

• Pork and potato hash

  • twoyolks on January 25, 2013

    I made this with leftover pulled pork and served it with an egg on top. While eating I added some barbeque sauce which also went well (particularly since it was pulled pork).

• Braised pork loin

  • chawkins on May 26, 2021

    It smelled wonderful while cooking. However I think I overcooked the pork, should have check the internal temperature a lot earlier.

• Braised sweet-and-sour red cabbage

  • imaluckyducky on April 25, 2016

    Pg 417. Remarkably good! The sweetness comes from the caramelization, which also provides a good depth of flavor and balance to the sour. My batch took an extra 20 minutes to braise all the liquid away, but that's because I used double the cabbage (nothing else doubled). Made a batch using dried cranberries, added a nice touch and a bit more tang. Will make again.

• Cauliflower au gratin

  • chawkins on November 19, 2016

    Solid recipe, very creamy, not very cheesy but crispy topping. Liked the addition of nutmeg and white pepper in the bechamel.

• Tempura-fried eggplant

  • Tinala523 on October 22, 2024

    Look so pretty! Make sure oil is hot enough before frying, they were a bit oily. Batter was very thick after first addition of water; after second, just keep whisking, it will get smooth.

• Zucchini-tomato gratin

  • bebemoche on July 16, 2017

    A dish designed to showcase the flavor of the vegetables, so not sure one should attempt this with average supermarket produce

• Banana fritters

  • kshell on October 15, 2023

    Batter is too wet, and there is too much. But nice idea.

• Chocolate, walnut, and cherry cookies

  • mpo on January 28, 2021

    These came out cake like which is nice to have such a big cake cookie. But the recipe did not include salt. I thought about adding it, but who am I to second guess Jacques Pepin! But, in the end, they needed salt...

• Apple tart with almond filling

  • emiliang on November 12, 2013

    A wonderfully rustic tart. Used ground hazelnuts instead of almonds. Transports you to the northern European countryside. If using a tart pan, three large apples will suffice. Great for entertaining at home, as it can be prepared well ahead of serving time. Check the oven after 50 minutes.

• Kate Cooks the Books

  The good and the great far outweigh the mediocre and disappointing, however, I don’t hesitate recommending that you add this cookbook to your collection.

  Full review

• Fine Cooking

  In addition to the stories, the techniques..., and the recipes, there are hundreds of Pépin’s own whimsical line drawings, which bring a homey humbleness to this epic volume.

  Full review

• Publishers Weekly

  ...700 of his best French and French-accented dishes from decades of cooking and teaching. They're simple without being dumbed down; approachable yet still adventurous.

  Full review

• Seattle Weekly

  There he is--thick French accent and all--showing you how to truss a chicken, hold a knife and chop properly, make butter roses, mayonnaise, and Melba toast. He even shows you how to tie your apron!

  Full review