Crepe Batter A La Julia Child Food

FRENCH CRêPE RECIPE (BASIC CRêPES)

Steps:

• Whisk together all ingredients in a bowl.
• Let batter sit in the refrigerator at least 1 hour (or overnight).
• Pre-heat non-stick pan on high heat, and brush or spray with oil or butter. Oil should shimmer on the pan.
• Holding pan just off heat, add 2-3 TB batter and swirl to coat pan. Place back on heat and cook for about 90 seconds, until the bottom of the crêpe is golden and slides off the pan easily.
• Flip and cook the other side for 5-10 seconds. Move crêpe to a wire rack or plate to cool, and repeat with remaining batter.
• Make Ahead: Stack with wax paper in between crêpes. Refrigerate for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 3-4 months in an airtight container. Don't skip the wax paper-- the crêpes will stick together.

JULIA CHILD'S BASIC CRêPES RECIPE

Steps:

• Blender: Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl (or blender jug). Blend with an immersion blender until everything is combined, scrapping down the sides of the bowl a few times. If there are lumps, continue blending until the lumps are gone. If there are still lumps remaining, strain the batter and discard the lumps.
• Whisk: In a mixing bowl, whisk milk, water, egg and butter together. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk flour, sugar and salt together. Pour in the wet ingredients slowly, whisking constantly until everything is incorporated. Strain the batter and use a spoon to press down on the lumps against the sieve to incorporate them back into the batter. Strain the batter and discard any remaining lumps.
• Cover the mixing bowl with a plastic wrap, place the bowl in the refrigerator and chill the batter for at least 2 hours before using to allow flour particles to expand in the liquid to yield a tender and light crêpe. The batter can be made the day before and kept chilled until ready to use.
• Heat an 8 to 10-inch frying pan over medium heat. Sprinkle droplets of water onto the frying pan and if the water sizzles immediately, it means the frying pan is hot enough for use.
• Brush a thin layer of softened or melted butter on the frying pan. Give the crêpe batter a stir and scoop ¼-cup of batter.
• Hold the frying pan in your dominant hand and pour the crêpe batter into the middle of the pan with another hand, tilting the pan in all directions as you pour (the batter should set almost immediately as you pour in the batter) so that the batter coats the bottom of the frying pan in a thin layer.
• Cook for about 30 seconds until the edges begin to brown, then loosen the crêpe with a spatula and turn to the other side to cook for another 30 seconds. Transfer the cooked crêpe onto a plate. Repeat until all the batter is used up.After cooking the first crêpe, determine if ¼-cup of batter is too much or too little and adjust the batter amount for the subsequent crêpes. The crêpe batter consistency should be that of a light cream, just thick enough to coat a spoon. If you find the batter too thick or heavy you may whisk in water, tablespoon by tablespoon.If the crêpe is burning or setting too fast for your comfort, lower the heat slightly or place the frying pan on a wet tea towel for 5 to 10 seconds to cool down the frying pan slightly.

SIMPLE CREPES

Steps:

• In a blender, puree flour, sugar, salt, milk, eggs, and butter until smooth, about 30 seconds. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 1 day; stir for a few seconds before using.
• Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium. Lightly coat with butter. Quickly pour 1/4 cup batter into center of skillet, tilting and swirling pan until batter evenly coats bottom. Cook until crepe is golden in places on bottom and edges begin to lift from pan, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Lift one edge of crepe with an offset spatula, then use your fingers to gently flip crepe. Cook on second side until just set and golden in places on bottom, about 45 seconds. Slide crepe onto a paper towel-lined plate.
• Repeat with remaining batter, coating pan with more butter as needed, and stacking crepes directly on top of one another. Let cool to room temperature before using, wrapping in plastic wrap and refrigerating up to 5 days, or freezing up to 1 month.

CREPE BATTER A LA JULIA CHILD

Steps:

• 1 Crack eggs into a blender container. Add milk, 1 cup cold water and salt. Blend to mix. Add flour and butter. Blend 1 minute, scraping down sides of container if necessary. Cover; refrigerate 2 hours or up to 24. (Leave in the blender container if desired.).
• 2 Heat an 8-inch well-seasoned crepe pan or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Dip a paper towel into a little vegetable oil; carefully wipe it over the inside of the hot pan. Set the pan over the heat to heat the oil. Pour in a generous 2 tablespoons batter. Immediately pick up the pan and swirl it gently to coat the entire bottom evenly with the batter. Pour any batter that does not adhere to the pan back into the container of batter. Return the pan to the heat; cook until set, light brown and little beads of moisture are visible on the surface, about 30 seconds. Use a heatproof spatula to help loosen and flip the crepe. Cook the second side to brown it lightly, about 30 seconds more.
• 3 Transfer the cooked crepe to a covered baking dish. Keep warm in a low oven while you cook the remaining crepes. Top each crepe with a couple of tablespoons of the desired filling. If using the Florentine filling, roll up the filled crepes and serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.
• SUGGESTED FILLINGS:.
• Florentine: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add 1 halved, thinly sliced onion; saute until golden, 5 minutes. Add 2 cups chopped mushroom caps; cook until golden, 4 minutes. Stir in 2 bags (6 ounces each) spinach and 2 finely chopped cloves garlic (add spinach in batches if needed). Cook and stir until the spinach just barely wilts, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. Stir in 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese, and salt and pepper.
• Jam and creme fraiche: Spread hot crepe lightly with a scant tablespoon of creme fraiche. Top with dollops of your favorite jam; smooth with a rubber spatula. Fold crepe into quarters. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
• Caramel and banana: Spread hot crepe lightly with a scant tablespoon of caramel sauce or Mexican cajeta. Top with sliced bananas. Fold crepe into quarters. Top with more caramel and banana slices and sprinkling of confectioners' sugar.

GRATIN AUX FRUITS DE MER (JULIA CHILD)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• In a heavy bottomed 2 quart saucepan, cook the onions in butter over low heat for 5 minutes, until onions are tender but not browned.
• Stir in the flour, and cook slowly for 2 minutes without coloring.
• Off heat, beat in the boiling milk, then the wine, salmon juice, and the seasonings.
• Now bring this sauce to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring.
• Boil several minutes to evaporate the alcohol in the wine, and allow the sauce to thicken considerably. Then, thin it out to a medium consistency with tablespoons of cream. Taste carefully for seasoning.
• Fold the salmon and optional ingredients into the sauce, and check seasoning again. Spread in baking dish or pastry shell.
• Sprinkle on the cheese and distribute the butter in pea-sized dots.
• Bake in upper third of oven for about 15 minutes, or until top is nicely browned.

SIMPLE BEEF STOCK A LA JULIA CHILD

Steps:

• Place the beef bones in a large heavy pot and cover with cold water by about two inches.
• Bring to a simmer over medium heat and skim the sum which rises to the top--this should take about five minutes.
• Add the remaining ingredients and more cold water so that everything is covered by at least an inch or two.
• Bring the stock to a simmer again, skimming as necessary.
• When the stock is simmering (Do NOT allow it to boil), partially cover and maintain at a very slow simmer for four to five hours.
• If the water level gets too low, add boiling water to the pot.
• Skim as necessary.
• When the vegetables and the bones have given their all to the broth, strain the broth and discard the solids.
• Set the stock, uncovered in the refrigerator until the fat has risen to the top and solidified.
• Remove and discard the fat.
• Taste the degreased stock (remembering it contains no salt) and if it is not strong enough, reduce it over medium heat.
• When the stock is cold, store in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer.

SPLIT PEA SOUP A LA JULIA CHILD

Steps:

• For the stock, put the ham hocks in a kettle with water to cover by 2 inches.
• Make an herb bouquet with washed cheesecloth, using the bay leaves, thyme and cloves or allspice.
• Put this in the pot, along with the carrots, onions and celery.
• Simmer 3 to 4 hours with the kettle cover slightly open.
• Or, simmer in crockpot for 8 hours on low.
• Skim occasionally.
• Strain and degrease.
• Easiest way to degrease is to make ahead and chill, remove fat when cold.
• Freeze if you want.
• To make the soup, set a saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter.
• Saute the vegetables, stirring, for 5 minutes.
• Blend in the flour and cook, stirring for 3 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and cool briefly, blend in the hot ham stock and the split peas.
• Bring to a simmer, stirring.
• Cover and cook about 45 minutes until peas are tender.
• Salt and pepper to taste after 1/2 hour of simmering.
• When cooked, mash or puree the soup depending on the consistency you want.
• Garnish with homemade croutons or sauteed ham bits if desired.

LOBSTER THERMIDOR A LA JULIA CHILD

Steps:

• Simmer all of the ingredients under Step 1 (except the lobsters!) in a large enameled or stainless steel pot for 15 minutes.
• Bring to a rolling boil and then add the live lobsters.
• You can tell when they are done because they are bright red and the long head-feelers can be pulled out pretty easily.
• While the lobsters are steaming, stew the mushrooms over low to medium low heat in a covered saucepan with all of the other ingredients from Step 2 for 10 minutes.
• When the lobsters are cooked, remove them from the kettle.
• Pour the mushroom juices in the kettle (not the mushrooms!) lobster-juices pot and boil down rapidly until it is reduced to about 2 1/4 cups liquid.
• Strain the liquid into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer.
• Cook the first 2 ingredients from Step 3 slowly together in another saucepan.
• Be sure not to brown it!
• Remove from heat, and beat in the lobster-mushroom liquid.
• Boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• Drizzle the cream from step 3 on top of the sauce.
• Split the lobsters in half, lengthwise, making sure to keep the shell halves intact.
• Discard 'sand sacks' in the heads and intestines.
• Rub 'lobster coral' and 'green matter' through a fine sieve into a 3 quart mixing bowl, and blend it into the ingredients from step 4.
• Beat the lobster-mushroom sauce into this mixture in small spats.
• Return the sauce to the pan, and, stirring with a wooden spoon, bring it to a boil.
• Boil slowly for 2 minutes.
• Thin out with step 5.
• By now the sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon pretty heavily.
• Set aside, top filmed with a spoonful of cream.
• Remove the meat from the lobster tails and claws, cut into 3/8 inch cubes.
• Set the skillet with the butter from step 6 over medium heat.
• When butter foam begins to dissipate, stir in the lobster meat and saute, stirring slowly, for 5 minutes, until the meat has turned a rosy color.
• Pour the cognac in and boil for a minute or two, shaking the skillet, until the liquid has been reduced by half.
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Fold cooked mushrooms and 2/3 of the sauce into the skillet with the lobster meat.
• Arrange the split lobster shells on a shallow roasting pan or fireproof serving platter.
• Heap the lobster mixture into the shells, and cover with the remaining sauce.
• Sprinkle with cheese and dot with butter (you can refrigerate it at this point to finish up later on).
• Place in upper 1/3 of the oven for 10-15 minutes, until lobster is bubbling and sauce is a nice brown.
• Serve immediately!

BRAISED ONIONS A LA JULIA CHILD

Steps:

• If you are using fresh pearl onions, they are easier to peel if you blanch them in boiling water for 30 seconds and then run them under cold water to cool.
• If you are using frozen pearl onions, make sure they are defrosted and drained.
• Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet and add the onions to the skillet.
• Saute over medium heat for about ten minutes, rolling the onions about so they brown as evenly as possible without breaking apart.
• Pour in the stock, add the herbs, and cover.
• Simmer over low heat for about 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape and the liquid has mostly evaporated.
• Remove the herbs, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

CREPES à LA JULIA CHILD RECIPE - (4.5/5)

Steps:

• Make the crepe batter: Put the liquids, eggs and salt into the blender jar. Add the flour, then the butter. Cover and blend at top speed for 1 minute. If bits of flour adhere to sides of jar, dislodge with a rubber scraper and blend for 2 to 3 seconds more. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Note: The batter should be a very light cream, just thick enough to coat a wooden spoon. If, after making your first crepe, it seems too heavy, beat in a bit of water, a spoonful at a time. Your crepe should be about 1/16-inch thick. Make crepes: Brush the skillet lightly with oil. Set over moderately high heat until the pan is just beginning to smoke. Immediately remove from heat and pour a scant 1/4 cup of batter into the middle of the pan. Quickly tilt the pan in all directions to run the batter all over the bottom of the pan in a thin film. (Pour any batter that does not adhere to the pan back into your bowl.) Return the pan to heat for 60 to 80 seconds. Then jerk and toss pan sharply back and forth and up and down to loosen the crepe. Lift its edges with a spatula. If the underside is a nice light brown, the crepe is ready for turning. Turn the crepe by using 2 spatulas; or grasp the edges nearest you in your fingers and sweep it up toward you and over again into the pan in a reverse circle; or toss it over by a flip of the pan. Brown lightly for about 30 seconds on the other side. As they are done, slide the crepes onto a rack and let cool several minutes before stacking on a plate. Crepes may be kept warm by covering them with a dish and setting them over simmering water or in an oven set to low heat. (Crepes can also be made in advance, frozen and reheated!) Grease the skillet again, heat to just smoking, and proceed with the rest of the crepes.