It was the people (seriously!), the art, the history, the landscape, and the food. The food, the food, the food. When we returned home, we set about transforming ourselves from decent home cooks to good ones. That Christmas, he bought me an armful of Julia Child cookbooks and videos, while I bought him a raft of kitchen accessories.
One of our go-to recipes we simply call “Chicken Julia,” based on a recipe in Julia’s Kitchen Wisdom: Essential Techniques and Recipes from a Lifetime of Cooking. The sauce is incredibly simple, and so rich and flavorful--the perfect illustration of the importance of a simple technique like deglazing the pan and using the juices as the base for the sauce.
I'm honestly not sure I'd ever used fresh tarragon before we first made this recipe; now, I keep a pot growing on the back porch during good weather and do my best to nurture it inside through the Montana winter. In fact, I've kept the current pot going over two seasons--last fall, it had gotten quite leggy so I cut it back and dried the leaves, then forgot it in the laundry room. A couple of weeks later, I discovered that it had sent up new green shoots. Looks like it will keep going this year, too, making my 99 cent annual quite the bargain. (That's it in the terra cotta pot.)
Even if you can't grow your own tarragon, do try to find some fresh stuff at least once when you make this recipe. I can pretty much guarantee it will become a staple in your house, too!
Chicken Julia
2 boneless chicken breastssalt and pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup dry white wine or French vermouth
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon fresh or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
Place the chicken breasts in plastic wrap and flatten with a mallet or the flat of a large chef’s knife to about ½ inch thick. Season with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a large saute pan, add the oil, and heat. Saute the chicken breasts, about one minute a side, until thy are springy to the touch; be sure they are done but not overcooked—Julia says the juices should run clear or yellow with no pink. Remove the chicken; the sauce won’t take long to cook, but keeping them in a warm oven is a nice touch.
Deglaze the pan with the wine or vermouth. Add the shallots, stock, and vermouth, and cook two to three minutes, stirring, to make a sauce. Plate the chicken and divide the sauce, pouring it over the chicken.
Serves two. Bon appetit!
Erin Murphy, manager of Murphy’s Mercantile (aka the Merc), is tuning up for Jewel Bay’s annual Jazz Festival. Between keeping the Merc’s shelves stocked with Montana’s tastiest local fare and hosting the festival’s kick-off concert, Erin has her hands full.
Discord erupts when jazz guitarist Gerry Martin is found dead on the rocks above the Jewel River. The one-time international sensation had fallen out of sync with festival organizers, students, and performers. Was his death an accident?or did someone even the score?
Despite the warning signs to not get involved, Erin investigates. And when the killer attacks, she orchestrates her efforts into one last crescendo, hoping to avoid a deadly finale.
Leslie Budewitz is the author of the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries and the Spice Shop Mysteries—and the first author to win Agatha Awards for both fiction and nonfiction. The past president of Sisters in Crime, she lives in northwest Montana with her husband, a musician and doctor of natural medicine, and their cat, an avid bird-watcher.
Swing by my website and join the mailing list for my seasonal newsletter. And join me on Facebook where I announce lots of giveaways from my cozy writer friends.
This sounds good but my boyfriend can't have wine since it contains sulfites.
ReplyDeleteSandy, there are sulfite free wines. You can also use dry vermouth, as Julia often did.
DeleteWhat wonderful memories! My first trip to France, during college, forever changed my attitude toward food and cooking, and Julia's book Mastering the Art etc. was the first one I ever bought for myself. I still have it, and the tarragon chicken page is among the most grease-stained. Bon appetit!
ReplyDeleteA real eye-opener for those of us who grew up with casseroles made with Campbell's soup!
DeleteDelicious. I have a hard time finding fresh tarragon in my local stores or farmers market but sure do love it. I would love to go back to France.
ReplyDeleteCan you tuck a plant in a windowsill? It does dry easily.
DeleteThanks for sharing this recipe. It looks like just the kind of simple but flavorful recipe I have been searching for, have been in a rut with chicken in cream sauces for some reason. Many thanks!
ReplyDeleteBon appetit!
DeleteI make a Julia Child chicken recipe much like this--only you add some cream to the sauce. it's one of hubby's favorites!
ReplyDeleteOne thing I love about her books is the options she provides, and we love that variation, too. Other days, we prefer the simplicity of these flavors.
DeleteI love this, Leslie! And it would always taste like that trip to France. Hugs.
ReplyDeleteYou know it, ma cherie! xo
DeleteI love this dish and will try to get some fresh tarragon on my next outing to the grocery. Haven't made it in quite a long while, so thanks for the reminder, Leslie! I'm always struggling with the old what-to-do-with-chicken problem!
ReplyDeleteAh, yes -- chicken is so wonderfully versatile, and yet we fall into our ruts. Bon appetit!
Deletesounds wonderful. thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteMais oui, ma cherie -- bon appetit!
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