I mentioned a few weeks ago that I thought it might be a good winter project to attempt some of Julia Child’s classic recipes, maybe one a week. I was basing the choices on a YouTuber called ANTICHEF and my first two recipes were big winners: Onion Soup and Aïgo Bouido (Garlic Soup) – both delicious. I even went out and bought vermouth and brandy in anticipation of Julia’s recipes. I waited to get settled in my new house before continuing with my ‘project’ and last night I made Chicken Supreme with a mushroom cream sauce and glazed carrots. It was all very good. (I would never have thought to cook carrots for 30 minutes, but they were sooooo good.)
BUT. But, even that relatively simple dish of chicken and carrots uses so much butter, and oil, and cream. There was a reason it tasted so good. Much as I loved it, I really don’t see myself preparing a dish like this once a week – just too rich for my blood, and in a few cases, it would be two meals, as some recipes you can only cut back so much before the ingredients and portions become too small to work with. There are still a few I would like to try: her coq au vin, and boeuf bourguignon. But I think I have to re-think the plan.
Instead, I’ve decided to veer towards Delia. What Julia was to PBS, Delia Smith was to the BBC. My family already makes some of her recipes (I make her Beef & Beer Stew, my sister makes her stroganoff and her goulash). She is very classic British cooking and her most famous recipe is her Yorkshire Pudding.
I haven’t decided on what to start with, but I know the library has several of her cookbooks, so I think I will dig out one of the older books and try a more classic meal next week.