TASTE & CREATE ~ One Little Corner of the World & POULET SAUTE AUX HERBES de PROVENCE and SOUPE A L'OIGNON AU FROMAGE

I stumbled upon TATSE & CREATE last month and couldn't wait to participate this month. I was paired with Katie from One Little Corner of the World. The object is to scour their blog and find an appealing recipe to try. While reading Katie's blog I ran across her fun group effort to create a Julia Child evening. I'm trying her POULET SAUTE AUX HERBES de PROVENCE and SOUPE A L'OIGNON AU FROMAGE from her post Julia Child, Dinner and friends. Her description of the meal reminded me of the progressive dinners we did as girl scouts - I always loved those meals sooooooooooo much. I also enjoyed Katie's description of their trials and tribulations as they pain stakingly worked through Julia's recipes.

Being a foodie I wanted to see the Julie & Julia movie really bad. Hubby took me to see it for my birthday last year. I really enjoyed it, Meryl Strep especially. Meryl played a fantastic Julia. I laughed until I cried. 
Meryl Streep as Julia Child in "Julie & Julia". (Photo~Sony Pictures)
“Fat gives things flavor”–Julia Child.
SOUPE A L'OIGNON AU FROMAGE (French Onion Soup)
6 large onions (about 5 pounds), sliced thin
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 quarts beef broth (preferably homemade)
1 cup white wine
twelve 1/2-inch-thick slices of French bread, toasted
3/4 pound coarsely grated Gruyère
8 slices French bread (about 1 inch thick)
**Out of habit I grabbed some garlic which was not in the original recipe, but made a superb addition!
  • In a large kettle cook the onions in the butter over moderate heat, stirring frequently, for 40 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
  • Sprinkle the onions with the flour and sugar and cook the mixture, stirring, for 3 minutes.
  • Add the broth slowly, stir the soup constantly until it comes to a boil, and simmer it, covered, for 20 minutes.
  • Season the soup with salt and pepper.
  • Put 2 slices of the toast in each of 6 heated soup bowls, top each toast with 1 tablespoon of the Gruyère, and pour the soup over the toasts.
POULET SAUTE' AUX HERBES DE PROVENCE
Chicken:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 3 to 3 1/2-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces, rinsed, patted dry
1 teaspoon dried thyme or savory
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground in spice mill or with mortar and pestle
3 unpeeled garlic cloves
2/3 cup dry white wine or 1/2 cup dry white vermouth

Sauce:
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon dry white wine or dry white vermouth
2 to 3 tablespoons butter, cut into 1-inch cubes (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, fresh fennel fronds, or fresh parsley (optional)

For chicken: 
  • Melt butter in large wide pot over medium-high heat.
  • Working in batches, if necessary, add chicken pieces and cook only until golden, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes per batch.
  • Transfer chicken breast pieces to plate.
  • Sprinkle remaining chicken pieces in pot with half each of thyme, basil, and fennel seeds, then salt and pepper.
  • Add garlic to pot.
  • Cover pot; reduce heat to medium and cook 8 to 9 minutes.
  • Sprinkle chicken breasts with remaining thyme, basil, and fennel seeds, then salt and pepper.
  • Return breast pieces to pot; baste chicken with butter in pot.
  • Cover and cook until chicken is cooked through, turning and basting occasionally, about 15 minutes.
  • Transfer to hot platter; cover.
  • Remove peel from garlic cloves; mash garlic with spoon or fork in same pot.
  • Add 2/3 cup wine to juices in pot; boil until liquid is reduced to 3/4 cup, occasionally scraping bottom of pan, about 8 minutes.
  • Pour reduced pan juices into measuring cup and reserve for sauce.
For sauce: 
  • Off heat, whisk egg yolks in heavy small saucepan until beginning to thicken.
  • Whisk in lemon juice and 1 tablespoon wine.
  • Gradually whisk reserved pan juices into eggs, 1 teaspoon at a time.
  • Set sauce over very low heat and whisk constantly until warm and slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • If desired, whisk in butter, 1 piece at a time.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Stir in herbs, if desired.
  • Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.
aprons 3

7 comments:

Joanne said...

I've seen this event and would love to take part, but I'm just too busy. Sigh. One day.

These Julia Child dishes look awesome. Gotta love a classic!

threesidesofcrazy said...

They were great. Fortunately I had enough notice to work them into my regular menus.

skr said...

Yum! ;]

Anonymous said...

If fat gives things flavor, I must be tasty indeed.

Jenn said...

Oh I love love loved that movie!!! Made me want to run out and buy the cookbook. haha I will be back to check out all your yummy creations and prepared to try some out. =)

Forgetfulone said...

Oh, my! You cooked that? Wow! I'm so impressed. I knew you were a good cook, but wow! I don't think I'd attempt that. Julia Child I am not. But, you could give her a run for her money! And I loved that movie, too.

Anonymous said...

Great post!!!