Cooking Adventure with Julia Child

Sorry I haven't posted this sooner. I know its has been a couple weeks since I have had my big Cooking adventure. I am happy to report it was a success. I cooked a wonderful meal with my hubby. We love to cook especially when we can cook together. We decided that since the Movie really inspired me to cook that we should cook a Julia Child recipe. I was a little worried that it wouldn't turn out but happily, I was wrong. We cooked Poulet Saute' aux Herbes de Provence. This was the Best meal Joseph and i have ever eaten. The chicken had the best flavors and was so moist it melts in your mouth.

Poulet Sauté Aux Herbes de Provence
adapted from Julia Child’s recipe at Epicurious

Chicken:
1/2 c. butter (or goose fat, if you have it)
1 3 - 3 1/2 lb chicken, cut into 8 pieces (or an assortment of chicken pieces, all legs etc)
1 t. dried thyme
1 t. dried basil
1/4 t. fennel seeds, ground in a spice grinder
3 unpeeled garlic cloves
1/2 c. dry white vermouth ( or 2/3 c. dry white wine)

Sauce:
2 large egg yolks
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. vermouth or dry white wine
2 T. chopped fresh basil

Chicken:
Melt butter in a large wide pot over medium high heat. Working in batches, if necessary, add chicken pieces and cook until golden, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes per batch. Once all chicken has been sauteed, transfer chicken breast pieces to a plate, and return all other pieces to the pot. Sprinkle about 2/3 to 3/4 of the thyme, basil, and fennel over the chicken in the pot, and the remaining spices over the breast pieces. Season all pieces with salt and pepper. Add garlic to the pot. Cover pot, reduce heat to medium, and cook 8 to 9 minutes. Return breast pieces to pot, then baste chicken with butter in pot. Cover and cook until chicken is cooked through, turning and basting occasionally, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a platter, and cover.

Remove peel from garlic, then mash the cloves in the pot. Add vermouth or wine, then boil until reduced to about 3/4 c., occasionally scraping the bottom of the pan. Pour the pan juices into a measuring cup and reserve for sauce.

Sauce:
Off heat, whisk egg yolks in heavy small saucepan until beginning to thicken. Whisk in lemon juice and vermouth or wine. Gradually whisk reserved pan juices into eggs, a small bit at a time. Set sauce over a very low heat and whisk constantly until warm and slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in basil, and season with salt and pepper. Spoon chicken over sauce and serve. Enjoy!

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Pictures of our Cooking Adventure......




Hopefully Once a week we will be having a Cooking Adventure and I will blog and share it with you. Until then Keep watching for more Cooking adventures.
Bon Apetit !