Fast Food My Way

By Jacques Pépin and Ben Fink

Easy, everyday dishes with a French twist from the multiple James Beard Award-winning chef, “a great teacher and truly a master technician” (Julia Child).
 
In this companion volume to the PBS series, Jacques Pépin shows you how to create great-tasting dishes ranging from stunning salads such as Tomato and Mozzarella Fans to Supreme of Chicken with Balsamic Vinegar and Shallot Sauce to his breathtaking Almond Cake with Berries, all special enough for company, yet easy enough for those weekday evenings when you have no time. Fast food Jacques’s way involves no compromises in taste but saves you hours in the kitchen. His Instant Beef Tenderloin Stew, for instance, not only is far faster to make than traditional versions, but tastes brighter and fresher.
 
With concise, clear directions, Jacques shares the secrets of his kitchen. He teaches you how to season a salmon fillet perfectly and cook it in a low oven, right on the serving platter. You’ll learn how to make a satisfying homemade vegetable soup in seconds, a baked potato in half the usual time, and a succulent roast that takes minutes, not hours, to prepare. He also shows you how to create elegant meals from convenience foods: a bean dip that will keep guests coming back for more, silky soups, and caramelized peaches made from canned peaches. With Jacques Pépin Fast Food My Way at your side, the best food is always the simplest.
 
“French cooking, Pépin reminds us, is not just a matter of technique; it’s a matter of chic.”—Publishers Weekly

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Sep 1, 2004
• ISBN: 9780547347523

Jacques Pépin

The winner of sixteen James Beard Awards and author of over 30 cookbooks, including The Apprentice, Essential Pépin, and Jacques Pépin Quick & Simple, JACQUES PEPIN is a chef, author, television personality, educator, and artist, and has starred in 12 acclaimed PBS cooking series. His dedication to culinary education led to the creation of the Jacques Pépin Foundation in 2016.

Book preview

title page

Contents

---

Title Page

Contents

Copyright

Dedication

Introduction

MENUS

MORE IDEAS FOR QUICK DISHES

APPETIZERS AND FIRST COURSES

Codfish brandade

Salmon rolls on fennel salad

Salmon tartare on cauliflower salad

Smoked salmon timbales

Sea bass gravlax with cucumber

Smoked trout salad with horseradish cream

Lobster salad with tarragon

Scallop seviche and guacamole

Bean puree with anchovies or smoked oysters

White bean and sardine toasts

Devil shrimp

Chopped chicken livers with spinach salad

Toasted bread and mozzarella

Sweet cheese medley

Two spicy salsas

Melon and prosciutto

SOUPS

Instant vegetable soup

Pumpkin soup with toasted walnuts

Silky tomato soup with spinach coulis

Mushroom velouté with almonds

Corn and hominy chowder

Lobster bisque

Basic chicken stock

EGGS

Scrambled eggs with mushrooms and truffles

Scrambled eggs on tomato jus

Egg and tomato gratin

Bow-tie pasta with fried eggs and cheese

SALADS

Summer salad

Romaine and radicchio with salsa dressing

Coleslaw

Zucchini and tomato salad

Parsley and pumpkin seed salad

Greens with quick cream dressing

Mushroom and walnut salad with sour cream dressing

Asian eggplant salad

Tomato and mozzarella fans

Tomato tartare with tomato water sauce

Multipurpose herbed crumbs

VEGETABLES

Asparagus with croutons and chorizo

Asparagus custards

Broccoli rabe and pea fricassee

Broad beans with shallots

Cauliflower with scallions and sesame oil

Asparagus with shallots

Broccoli puree with brown butter

Broccoli stem relish

Silky chestnut and apple puree

Chickpea ragout

Skillet endives

Creamy lima bean gratin

Puree of peas with mint and cilantro

Sautéed plantains

Crusty tomato savory

Mushroom and raisin chutney

RICE, POTATOES, AND PASTA

Soupy rice with peas

Couscous

Baked potatoes with chive sour cream

Cubed potatoes with garlic and sage

Summertime pasta

Wonton cannelloni in tomato sauce

Pasta, ham, and vegetable gratin

FISH AND SHELLFISH

Halibut on fresh polenta with pepper oil

Grilled striped bass with pimiento relish

Oven-baked salmon with sun-dried tomato and salsa mayonnaise

Glazed salmon in mirin

Codfish in walnut-cilantro sauce

Slow-cooked tuna steaks with tomato relish

Red snapper with mussels and chorizo

Red snapper with tomatoes and cream

Poached tilapia with herbed cream sauce

Shrimp and scallop pillows on boston lettuce

Crab cakes in red sauce

Fast lobster fricassee

Little shrimp casseroles

Stuffed scallops on mushroom rice

Rigatoni and mussels with saffron

POULTRY

Chicken breasts with garlic and parsley

Chicken on mashed cauliflower with red hot salsa

Suprême of chicken with balsamic vinegar and shallot sauce

Chicken tonnato

Chicken bouillabaisse

Sautéed quail with raita

MEAT

Instant beef tenderloin stew

Beef short rib, mushroom, and potato stew

Veal roast

Ham steaks with apricot-mustard glaze

Breaded pork scaloppine with mushroom sauce

Pork chops with zesty sauce

Thirty-minute cassoulet

Sausage and potato packet

Broiled lamb chops with spinach

Pressure-cooker lamb and white bean stew

DESSERTS

Almond cake with berries

Big almond macaroons with apricot filling

Apple skillet cake

Caramelized apple–granola timbales

Apple, pecan, and apricot crumble

Rhubarb and berry crumble

Apple peel granité with apple puree

Crepes with banana-rum filling

Banana bourbon coupe

Pink grapefruit terrine

Grapefruit gratinée

Chestnut and chocolate cake

Chocolate hazelnut brownie cake

Hasty pudding with apricot sauce

Warm chocolate cakes with apricot-cognac sauce

Pinot noir granité

Raspberries with balsamic vinegar

Sugar cookie bread

Two raspberry gratins

Strawberry panachée

Oranges and cream cheese

Pears in honeyed wine

Caramelized peaches

Peaches with peach sauce

Pineapple wedges in caramel

Pear brown betty

Mock tiramisù

Vanilla praline dessert

Champagne on fruit rocks

Crème fraîche

Author’s Acknowledgments

Index

About the Author

Connect with HMH on Social Media

Copyright © 2004 by Jacques Pépin

Photographs copyright © 2004 by Ben Fink

For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to [e-mail] or to Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 3 Park Avenue, 19th Floor, New York, New York 10016.

hmhbooks.com

The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows

Pépin, Jacques.

Jacques Pépin fast food my way / photographs by Ben Fink.

p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 0-618-39312-9

1. Quick and easy cookery. I. Title.

TX833.5.P47 2004

641.5'55—dc22     2004047279

Book design by Ralph Fowler

Prop styling by Roy Finamore

The publisher gratefully acknowledges Villeroy & Boch for supplying the flatware and many of the dishes used in the photographs.

eISBN 978-0-547-34752-3

v2.0920

To Gloria, Claudine, and Shorey, my loves

Introduction

Yes, I was born and kitchen-trained in France. But even after having spent more than four decades in the United States, people still think of me as a French chef and associate me with French cuisine. They also have the impression that French food or any of my cooking requires long, elaborate preparation. Nothing could be further from the truth.

More often than not, I prefer simple, straightforward food that can be prepared quickly. My wife, Gloria, and I often go out together to do errands or shopping, which usually takes longer than we planned. So we come home hungry. The first thing I do is put a pot of water on to boil. Only then do I take off my jacket and raid the refrigerator for vegetables. By the time I’ve grated some zucchini, carrots, and onions—and whatever else I might find—the water is boiling. The grated vegetables cook in moments; I add some instant grits and chopped salad greens for body, and presto: we have homemade soup. Dishes like this—you’ll find the recipe for Instant Vegetable Soup on page 46—are comforting for a family and elegant enough to serve guests.

This book pays tribute to a very simple cuisine—my fast food. Some of the recipes are not necessarily quick but none requires much work, and all fit nicely into today’s fast-paced lifestyles. Take a look at my Oven-Baked Salmon on page 118. It takes only moments to season (you can do this in the morning, if you’ve planned ahead), and you put it in a low oven on the same platter you’re planning to serve it on. While the fish bakes, you can make the sauce, serve drinks to guests, or just set the table and relax. The fish will be moist and meltingly tender, guaranteed to win praise. After the meal, you have only the platter to clean—not a roasting pan.

Although I commend anyone who will take hours preparing a dish from scratch, I’m not a snob about cooking. I know that homemade doesn’t necessarily translate into superlative food. Most French people would not think of baking their own bread or croissants or making their own pâté, because these items are readily available and of good quality at local markets.

My sister-in-law, for instance, who works in Paris and commutes on the train to the suburbs, stops at the market on her way home and picks up some bread, vegetables, and perhaps a veal roast. When she gets home, she browns the roast in a pressure cooker with an onion, adds some potatoes, puts the lid on the pressure cooker, and then goes upstairs to change. About thirty minutes later, after a leisurely aperitif, dinner is ready.

A schedule like this can be yours, too. Great food—easier than going out for conventional fast food and certainly better for you—takes only minimal planning.

When I don’t feel like slaving in the kitchen for hours (and I rarely do) or when guests drop by unexpectedly, I turn unhesitatingly to convenience foods. Cans are a treasure in the pantry, whether they contain anchovies, tomatoes, peaches, tuna, or beans. I can easily transform these ingredients into fast and elegant dishes, as you will see in these pages. Cheese, olives, smoked salmon and trout, and nuts can all be used to great advantage. Good olive oils, vinegars, salsas—even mayonnaise and ketchup—are the base for marinades and sauces to enhance your meals. Store-bought brioche and pound cake become part of quick and delicious desserts, as do shortbread cookies.

Proper techniques and good equipment make your kitchen life easier. Sharp knives, sturdy vegetable peelers, thick, heavy pots (some nonstick), good solid cookie sheets, and rubber spatulas are all essential. While I don’t rely on gadgets, I make use of my blender and food processor regularly, as well as my pressure cooker. I also rely on my microwave oven, which is ideal for reheating anything sticky that would leave a messy pan and is the key to making a quick baked potato. While the oven is heating, we pop the potatoes in the microwave. They’re nearly done by the time the oven is hot, and we finish them in the oven, so they get the crisp skin we love.

My fast food is best shared with friends, along with a bottle of wine. Cook some of these dishes together; you’ll be surprised at how quickly the food comes to the table, and you’ll enjoy the camaraderie. After following my recipes a few times, you’ll start to develop a fast-food style of your own.

You will see that most of the dishes in this book are designed to serve four. You have more people at your table? All these recipes double easily. When you’re putting together a meal in a hurry, take a few extra seconds to make it look special. Fresh herbs add a beautiful accent and bright flavor to dishes, and I use them lavishly, since they are so plentiful in my garden. But don’t hesitate to change the garnishes I suggest. Trust your instincts and your sense of taste. They will lead you. Eventually, you’ll transform my simple dishes into your own personal cuisine.

Happy cooking and happy times!

MENUS

as seen on public television

Crab Cakes in Red Sauce (page 133)

Pasta, Ham, and Vegetable Gratin (page 112)

Romaine and Radicchio with Salsa Dressing (page 68)

Big Almond Macaroons with Apricot Filling (page 178)

Summertime Pasta (page 110)

Red Snapper with Tomatoes and Cream (page 127)

Asparagus with Shallots (page 90)

Two Raspberry Gratins (page 202)

Chopped Chicken Livers with Spinach Salad (page 37)

Glazed Salmon in Mirin (page 120)

Silky Chestnut and Apple Puree (page 93)

Warm Chocolate Cakes with Apricot-Cognac Sauce (page 198)

Silky Tomato Soup with Spinach Coulis (page 48)

Little Shrimp Casseroles (page 137)

Toasted Bread and Mozzarella (page 39)

Rhubarb and Berry Crumble (page 184)

Tomato Tartare with Tomato Water Sauce (page 80)

Rigatoni and Mussels with Saffron (page 140)

Creamy Lima Bean Gratin (page 98)

Strawberry Panachée (page 204)

Sea Bass Gravlax with Cucumber (page 26)

Chicken Tonnato (page 148)

Summer Salad (page 67)

Chestnut and Chocolate Cake (page 193)

Corn and Hominy Chowder (page 53)

Red Snapper with Mussels and Chorizo (page 124)

Puree of Peas with Mint and Cilantro (page 99)

Banana Bourbon Coupe (page 189)

Instant Vegetable Soup (page 46)

Halibut on Fresh Polenta with Pepper Oil (page 116)

Broad Beans with Shallots (page 88)

Hasty Pudding with Apricot Sauce (page 197)

Asparagus Custards (page 85)

Slow-Cooked Tuna Steaks with Tomato Relish (page 123)

Sautéed Plantains (page 100)

Apple Skillet Cake (page 179)

Bow-Tie Pasta with Fried Eggs and Cheese (page 62)

Shrimp and Scallop Pillows on Boston Lettuce (page 129)

Crusty Tomato Savory (page 101)

Grapefruit Gratinée (page 192)

Codfish Brandade (page 20)

Chicken Breasts with Garlic and Parsley (page 148)

Broccoli Rabe and Pea Fricassee (page 86)

Chocolate Hazelnut Brownie Cake (page 194)

Scrambled Eggs with Mushrooms and Truffles (page 58)

Sautéed Quail with Raita (page 152)

Cubed Potatoes with Garlic and Sage (page 109)

Pears in Honeyed Wine (page 207)

Scrambled Eggs on Tomato Jus (page 59)

Grilled Striped Bass with Pimiento Relish (page 117)

Cauliflower with Scallions and Sesame Oil (page 89)

Pink Grapefruit Terrine (page 190)

For a Buffet

Asparagus with Croutons and Chorizo (page 84)

Melon and Prosciutto (page 43)

Oven-Baked Salmon with Sun-Dried Tomato and Salsa Mayonnaise (page 118)

Sweet Cheese Medley (page 40)

Almond Cake with Berries (page 176)

Soupy Rice with Peas (page 106)

Fast Lobster Fricassee (page 134)

Broccoli Puree with Brown Butter (page 91)

Vanilla Praline Dessert (page 217)

Egg and Tomato Gratin (page 60)

Stuffed Scallops on Mushroom Rice (page 138)

Greens with Quick Cream Dressing (page 73)

Pineapple Wedges in Caramel (page 213)

Smoked Trout Salad with Horseradish Cream (page 28)

Chicken on Mashed Cauliflower with Red Hot Salsa (page 146)

Mock Tiramisù (page 215)

Scallop Seviche and Guacamole (page 32)

Beef Short Rib, Mushroom, and Potato Stew (page 158)

Champagne on Fruit Rocks (page 219)

Smoked Salmon Timbales (page 25)

Thirty-Minute Cassoulet (page 167)

Zucchini and Tomato Salad (page 70)

Oranges and Cream Cheese (page 206)

Tomato and Mozzarella Fans (page 78)

Veal Roast (page 160)

Skillet Endives (page 96)

Pear Brown Betty (page 214)

Salmon Tartare on Cauliflower Salad (page 24)

Breaded Pork Scaloppine with Mushroom Sauce (page 163)

Chickpea Ragout (page 95)

Caramelized Peaches (page 208)

Lobster Salad with Tarragon (page 31)

Pressure-Cooker Lamb and White Bean Stew (page 170)

Asian Eggplant Salad (page 77)

Pinot Noir Granité (page 199)

Bean Puree with Anchovies or Smoked Oysters (page 34)

Wonton Cannelloni in Tomato Sauce (page 111)

Parsley and Pumpkin Seed Salad (page 72)

Caramelized Apple-Granola Timbales (page 181)

Devil Shrimp (page 36)

Sausage and Potato Packet (page 168)

Mushroom and Walnut Salad in Sour Cream Dressing (page 74)

Apple Peel Granité with Apple Puree (page 185)

Salmon Rolls on Fennel Salad (page 22)

Broiled Lamb Chops with Spinach (page 169)

Baked Potatoes with Chive Sour Cream (page 108)

Crepes with Banana-Rum Filling (page 187)

Mushroom Velouté with Almonds (page 50)

Instant Beef Tenderloin Stew (page 156)

Mushroom and Raisin Chutney (page 102)

Apple, Pecan, and Apricot Crumble (page 182)

MORE IDEAS FOR QUICK DISHES

Quesadillas. I love quesadillas and often make them as an hors d’oeuvre. I sprinkle some grated American, manchego, or Monterey Jack cheese on a couple of flour tortillas, add some cilantro and hot salsa or Tabasco to taste, and fold the tortillas in half. Then I cook them in a dash of canola oil in a nonstick pan for a couple of minutes on each side, let them rest for a few minutes, cut them into wedges, and serve.

Cheese crostini. I serve cheese crostini often as an hors d’oeuvre or salad accompaniment. To make them, I arrange leftover slices of baguette on an oiled cookie sheet and top with plum tomato slices, Gruyère, a dash of salt, and plenty of black pepper. I bake them in a hot oven for 6 to 8 minutes, until nicely browned, sprinkle them with a little chopped cilantro or parsley, and serve.

Basil, cheese, fig, and nut bites. A plate