For the past month, I have been slowly savoring the book, As Always, Julia: The Letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto as compiled by Joan Reardon. It is fascinating to read Julia’s commentary, insecurities, and ambitions while working on the masterpiece cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Julia’s best friend and cookbook feedback giver over the years, Avis, and her friendship with Julia for decades, helps to convey the personal side of The Julia Child and in this book you read about developing recipes, political beliefs of the 50s and 60s, and the life of the perpetual traveling couple that was Julia and her husband Paul Child. I highly recommend this book!

To whet my appetite for some Julia Child recipes, I made two new ones tonight. They aren’t her fancy schmancy ones, but rather basic everyday recipes for the home cook on a normal evening. To go with this chicken breast recipe, I served Julia’s risotto dish alongside and some steamed frozen corn.

©EverydayCookingAdventures 2013

While it was simple-looking on the plate, what with all the yellow/cream colors, the chicken and its accompanying sauce were outstanding. The chicken was simple to make in a Le Creuset rectangular baker that went from stovetop to oven to stovetop again. Here are my supremes de paprika, onion and cream:

Julia Child Chicken Breasts with Paprika, Onion and Cream ©EverydayCookingAdventures 2013

Supremes de Volaille Archiduc (Chicken Breasts with Paprika, Onions, and Cream)

From: Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, Simone Beck

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1/3 cup finely minced white onion
A heavy, covered, fireproof casserole about 8″-10″ in diameter (such as Le Creuset)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 Tbsp. fragrant red paprika
3 Tbsp. butter
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
Big pinch white pepper
A round of waxed paper 8″-10″ in diameter and buttered on 1 side
For the Sauce:
2 Tbsp. white or brown stock or beef bouillon
2 Tbsp. port, Madeira, or dry white vermouth
1/2 cup whipping cream
Salt and pepper
Lemon juice as needed
1 Tbsp. fresh minced parsley

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Drop the minced onions into boiling water for 1 minute. Drain, run cold water over them, and drain again. Cook the onions with the salt, paprika, and butter in the covered casserole for about 10 minutes over very low heat until the onions are tender and translucent, but not browned.

2. Rub the supremes (chicken breasts) with drops of lemon juice and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Quickly roll the supremes in the butter in the casserole dish, lay the buttered paper over them, cover casserole and place in hot oven.

3. After 6 minutes, press top of supremes with your finger. If the meat is springy to the touch it is done. Remove the supremes to a warm platter and cover (with foil or casserole lid) while making the sauce (2 to 3 minutes). Leave the onions in the casserole.

4. Pour the stock or bouillon and wine into the casserole with the cooking butter and boil down quickly over high heat until liquid is syrupy. Stir in the cream and boil down again over high heat until cream has thickened slightly. Off heat, taste carefully for seasoning, and add drops of lemon juice to taste. Pour the sauce over the supremes, sprinkle with parsley, and serve at once.

*Serving Tip from Mastering: Serve these with buttered asparagus tips, green peas, artichoke hearts, or creamed spinach, a good risotto cooked in chicken stock, and a bottle of chilled white Burgundy or Traminer.