French - The Pasadena Chef

Demi-Glacé: The Workhorse of the French Kitchen.

August 8, 2026August 12, 2026Leave a comment

I learned how to make demi-glacé from the legend Anthony Bourdain. I followed his wonderfully written step-by-step instructions in his Les Halles Cookbook, and the results were excellent.

Demi-glace is one of the foundations of classic French cooking. Made by slowly reducing rich brown stock until its flavors become deeply concentrated, it adds remarkable depth, richness, and body to sauces, stews, braises, and even soups. Just a spoonful can transform an ordinary pan sauce into something that tastes like it came from a fine restaurant.

Continue reading →

Braised Beef Short Ribs: Côtes de Bœuf Braisées

June 18, 2026August 1, 2026Leave a comment

Beef short ribs are proof that some of the finest dishes begin with simple ingredients and patience. Given enough time, the meat becomes fall-apart tender and the marrow from the bones enriches the braising liquid into a deeply flavorful sauce. This is comfort food at its finest—honest, rustic, and meant to be shared around the table.

Continue reading →

Beef Bourguignon, Classic French Beef Stew with Red Wine

September 29, 2025August 9, 2026Leave a comment

Beef Bourguignon is one of the great classics of French country cooking. It’s the kind of meal that would have been slowly simmering on a farmhouse stove or served in a neighborhood bistro on a cool evening in Burgundy. While some versions can be quite elaborate, the heart of the dish is surprisingly simple: good beef, red wine, vegetables, and patience.

Continue reading →

Step by Step to Make a Perfect Quiche

September 29, 2025July 20, 20261 Comment

This is a basic recipe that has so many variations. It really can be so many different things. I find it’s handy to use up the bits you have in the fridge.

I’ve made it with leafy vegetables, leeks, onions, tomatoes, smoked salmon, ham, bacon, and all sorts of other vegetables and many different cheeses.

Continue reading →

Homemade Chicken Stock: A Step-by-Step Guide

May 28, 2025August 12, 2026Leave a comment

Yes, stocks can be time consuming, but there are so many variations and the quality is vastly better than anything from the market. It is liquid gold indeed.

Continue reading →

Types of Roux: From White to Dark

May 21, 2025August 12, 2026Leave a comment

A roux is the fundamental base for many Continental classic sauces and is essential in Cajun and Creole cooking. It is a wonderful way to thicken a sauce and is easy to make.

Continue reading →

French Chicken Fricassee: A Simplified Recipe

April 6, 2025August 4, 2026Leave a comment

Another French classic which has many variations. This is the kind of food French grandmere’s have perfected over generations. It’s a bit of a cross between a sauté and a stew, but the real key is the braising sauce.

It utilizes that workhorse of the French kitchen, the mirepoix. A mix of onions, carrots and celery. Gently sautéed in butter and a bit of oil, it’s magical.

Continue reading →

Roast Chicken Recipe: A French Classic

March 15, 2025August 2, 2026Leave a comment

Sometimes the simplest recipes can be the best. A roasted chicken on a bed of vegetables is a miraculous thing. It’s a common French country dish and yields a moist and tender crispy chicken.

And as an added benefit you can use the chicken carcass to make a superior stock when you’ve finished.

Continue reading →

Classic French Sole Meunière: Julia Child’s Favorite

March 14, 2019August 16, 2026Leave a comment

It’s said that this classic French dish, Sole Meunière is what created Julia Child’s life long passion for French cuisine. She first tried it in November 1948 at the famous restaurant La Couronne in Rouen. It was her very first meal with her husband Paul upon arriving in France. She said about the meal, “the most exciting meal of my life” The rest they say is history.

Continue reading →

Traditional Bouillabaisse-French Seafood Stew, Step by Step.

August 27, 2018August 16, 2026Leave a comment

Bouillabaisse is one of the great culinary traditions of southern France, originating in the busy fishing port of Marseille. It began as a humble fisherman’s stew, made from the day’s catch that couldn’t be sold at market.

Continue reading →