Easter Sunday with Julia - Roast Leg of Lamb

I think at several moments today it was mentioned that we should probably just leave the house rather than stick our heads into the oven to sniff all the yummy smell that was emanating from there.

I cannot say that I made this Sunday all about Julia and I. I did not. For today was Easter Sunday. I brought Julia along with me on a mission of thanks and praise of all I have in this world.

ALL I have I owe to him. He is risen. Happy Easter.

Roast Chicken

There is something to be said for Sunday Chicken Dinner. Maybe a bit of nostalgia, a childhood memory.... who knows. At the suggestion of my friend Martha (and due to an imposed dietary regime) this week's "Sunday with Julia" left me a little fixated with a simpler time - my childhood and Sunday dinners at my grandparents' house.

There were only ever two things on the menu. Flat iron steaks with mushroon pan gravy and peas OR - chicken dinner.

I decided against the full bird today. I just refuse to pay 3.99/lb for carcass when I can have .99/lb quarters (I like the dark meat anyways).

Having inherited a bush of rosemary this past week, roasted veggies seemed the logical choice to accompany my chicken.

Winner winner chicken dinner! LOL! Bon Appetite!

Quiche Aux Fruits De Mer -Shrimp Quiche (or Lobster or Crab for that Matter ;))

A "nice light supper" is what I thought. 1/2 stick of butter and a pint of heavy whipping cream later? We have Julia's Shrimp Quiche! Sounds light enough right? LOL!

The only thing I can think of to describe this is "my seafood chowder in a pie". Of course you'd have had to have tasted my seafood chowder to appreciate that.

Sinfully rich and full of shrimp yumminess. My crust got a little darker than I would have liked before the filling set and it's not quite as pretty as some that I've seen photographed... There's only a half pan left for someone going back for seconds and thirds. :)

Success! :)

Steak au Poivre avec Tomates à la Provençale

I think I decided a few days ago after seeing sirloins on sale in my Publix flyer that THAT was going to incorporate into my Julia Sunday.

First off - black and white peppercorns do not crack equally easily. I suspect my next cup of freshly ground coffee will have interesting flavor.

The steak was excellent, the flamed sauce divine. I had concerns as I researched that it was going to be some dish that was ALL about the sauce. It wasn't. And even though it pooled a bit in my plate? A perfect compliment to the steak. Not overtaking the dish.

Now - My biggest surprise of this day's cooking was the side dish I chose to make. The tomatoes!

Fresh and delicious! I've always been a fan of roasting fresh produce - I guess Julia was way ahead of me. ;)

I had to do the haricot vert just because I don't know how to make "squash" sound French.

A success. :) Bon Appetite!

p.s. I don't know if Julia had any feelings about the Dutch. I do know that the lady at the check out line today handing out samples of Dutch apple pie suggested French vanilla icecream to go with it. Who was i to argue?

Casserole-Sauteed Pork Chops

Well? Having had "date night" last night I was looking for something 1 - that I had most of the ingredients on hand and 2 - was easy. I LOVE a challenge but just wasn't up for one today. So my inspiration was the leftover half of pork tenderloin I found in the freezer. Voila! Who says Julia has to be expensive! I went to work with what I had on hand. :)

I have to say, the more I cook of Julia's recipes one truth holds - method. Always method. the simplest of ingredients transformed through method. I felt a bit of a failure for not taking on something more complicated today when I started. By the time I finished? Food is art in it's simplest form. I love it. :)

Ratatouille

My first Julia dish made without an ounce of butter or wine. *Gasp!*

Having been out of town all weekend I wondered if I shouldn't just give my blog a rest this Sunday. I guess I just have a need for it. It's part of "me". So I decided my fix this Sunday would be a side dish - Ratatouille.

Ratatouille is an eggplant casserole of sorts with zuchinni, tomatoe, green peppers, onions..... etc. My first dilemma presented at the store late afternoon where the produce clerk informed me that they had been out of eggplant for weeks as I was attempting to locate my last ingredient on the way to check out. Usually I'd have gone out in search of my missing ingredient but having a late start on my project I decided to improvise. "Be Unafraid!" I marginally increased the quantities of the rest of my ingredients in hopes that method would carry the deliciousness of the dish.

Layers of flavor. Sauted zuchinni, peppers and onions, garlic, peeling tomatoes, basteing.... layering.......

It did! I know the eggplant would have lended more complexity and depth to the dish but really? It was fantastically yummy. Julia suggests serving as a side to a meat course (boiled meat was suggested. Sounds delish.) I thought it hearty enough to stand on it's own served simply with some crusty bread and dipping oil. I might have served it with some cheese though as well (afterthought).

Of course at some point I'm going to want to prepare this again once the national eggplant crisis has eased. (Seriously - to hear the clerk tell it? Wow)

I think Julia would approve. :)

Coq au Vin (Ragout of Chicken and Wine)

I think I was 13 and it was a class trip to Quebec. At the foot of Chateau Frontenac, in a small cafe, I enjoyed Coq Au Vin for the first time. I remember it distinctly because our parents had to sign a release pre trip for us to enjoy this dish in particular (and the accompanying glass of wine - Mom must not have had her coffee yet that morning. ;))

Today was just "one of those days". We all have them. In fact even though I'd shopped for all my ingredients yesterday? (FOUND the tomatoe paste in a tube!) I just wasn't feeling it today. I went back to bed.

I'm going to call the blanching and peeling of pearl onions "therapeutic".

Insane is all I can say about this dish. I think at one point Al looked at me as I was awaiting a reaction, "THAT is CRAZY good!" Success!

p.s. My hair and eyebrows are still intact. LOL!