Remembering Julia Child with a remix

By Jenn Harris

Aug. 14, 2012 12 AM PT

&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;Did you know &amp;amp;lt;runtime:topic id="PEHST000423"&amp;amp;gt;Julia Child&amp;amp;lt;/runtime:topic&amp;amp;gt; could sing? Well, sort of.&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;Wednesday would have been the beloved TV personality, chef and author’s 100th birthday, and to celebrate PBS Digital has made a special Julia Child remix video. The video splices and mixes different Child soundbites with scenes of her cooking for a song that is fun and catchy. The music sounds a little techno and definitely pop.&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;a href="https://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-julia-child-pictures,0,2664420.photogallery"&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;strong&amp;amp;gt;PHOTOS&amp;amp;lt;/strong&amp;amp;gt;: Julia Child: Her life in pictures&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;Some of the best lyrics from the video include:&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;"You need some fat in your diet, or your body can’t process your vitamins,” she sings with a chuckle.&amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;"Bring on the roasted potatoes, bring on the rosé, this is what good cooking is all about, this is what good cooking is all about."&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;"Cooking, cooking, keep on cooking, this is the way to live ... cooking, cooking, keep on cooking, this is the way to eat ... bon appétit."&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;Who knew Child had such a great singing voice? Happy birthday, Julia!&amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;If you’re not musically inclined enough to honor Child with a song, maybe you’d like to cook one of her dishes? Here is a recipe for Child’s &amp;amp;lt;em&amp;amp;gt;Thon à la Provençale&amp;amp;lt;/em&amp;amp;gt; (tuna steaks with wine, tomatoes and herbs) from the book&amp;amp;nbsp;"Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” The recipe was originally included in a &amp;amp;lt;a href="https://articles.latimes.com/2002/aug/07/food/fo-julia7"&amp;amp;gt;profile of Child&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt; by Times food editor Russ Parsons.&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;Tuna (or swordfish) steaks with wine, tomatoes and herbs (&amp;amp;lt;em&amp;amp;gt;Thon à la Provençale&amp;amp;lt;/em&amp;amp;gt;)&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;Active Work Time: 20 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;3 pounds tuna or swordfish cut into steaks 3/4-inch thick&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;1 teaspoon salt&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;2 tablespoons lemon juice&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;9 to 10 tablespoons olive oil, divided&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;1/4 teaspoon pepper, divided&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;div class="mod-latarticlesarticletextwithadcpc mod-latarticlesarticletext mod-articletext"&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;1 cup minced onions&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;3 pounds tomatoes (about 5 large tomatoes), peeled, seeded and chopped&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;2 cloves mashed garlic&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;1/2 teaspoon dried oregano&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;1/4 teaspoon dried thyme&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;1/4 teaspoon salt&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;1 cup dry white wine&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;1 to 2 tablespoons tomato paste&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;1 tablespoon flour blended to a paste with 1 tablespoon softened butter&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;3 tablespoons chopped parsley&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;Remove the skin and cut the fish steaks into serving pieces. Blend the salt and lemon juice in a 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish,&amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;nbsp; then beat in 6 tablespoons of the oil and half the pepper. Place the fish in the dish and baste with the marinade. Cover with wax paper and marinate 1½ to 2 hours at room temperature, turning and basting the fish with the marinade several times. Drain the fish and dry it thoroughly on paper towels. Discard the marinade, which will be strong and fishy. Wash out the dish.&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;Cook the fish rapidly in a large skillet over high heat in 3 to 4 tablespoons of very hot olive oil, a minute or two each side, to brown lightly. Return the fish to the dish.&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the onions slowly in the skillet for 5 minutes, until tender but not browned. Stir in the tomato pulp, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt and remaining pepper. Cover and cook slowly for 5 minutes. Correct the seasoning and spread the tomato mixture over the fish.&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;Place a cover or aluminum foil over the baking dish and place in the lower third of the oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Pour in the wine and bake 30 minutes more, turning the oven down to 325 degrees as soon as the fish is simmering.&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;Remove the fish to a serving platter, scraping the sauce off the fish and back into the baking dish. Keep the fish warm for about 5 minutes while finishing the sauce.&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;Boil down the sauce in a skillet over high heat until it has reduced to about 2 cups. Stir in the tomato paste. Simmer for a moment and correct the seasoning.&amp;amp;lt;strong&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;/strong&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;Off heat, beat in the flour and butter paste, and bring again to a simmer for 1 minute. Stir in the chopped parsley, spoon the sauce over the fish and serve.&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;strong&amp;amp;gt;ALSO:&amp;amp;lt;/strong&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;a href="https://articles.latimes.com/2002/aug/07/food/fo-julia7"&amp;amp;gt;Julia Child: A day in the life, at 90&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;a href="https://articles.latimes.com/2009/aug/12/food/fo-calcook12"&amp;amp;gt;Julia, Julia and me: Now it can be told&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;a href="https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2012/07/hometown-girl-makes-good-julia-child-week-in-pasadena.html"&amp;amp;gt;Hometown girl makes good! It’s Julia Child week in Pasadena&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;/div&amp;amp;gt;Follow Jenn Harris on &amp;amp;lt;a href="https://twitter.com/Jenn_Harris_"&amp;amp;gt;Twitter&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt; or &amp;amp;lt;a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/111779447576998205180/posts"&amp;amp;gt;Google+&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;strong&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;/strong&amp;amp;gt;

Food

Jenn Harris

Jenn Harris is a columnist for the Food section and host of “The Bucket List” fried chicken show. She has a BA in literary journalism from UC Irvine and an MA in journalism from USC. Follow her @Jenn_Harris_.