Among names like Julia Child, Alain Ducasse, and Auguste Escoffier, Jacques Pépin has cemented himself as a culinary legend. The French chef has received 24 James Beard Awards, written over 30 cookbooks, and become a household name through hosting beloved television shows.
If you’re a Jacques Pépin fan — who isn’t? — it’s likely you know some of his classic French dishes. From Crêpes Suzette to an airy cheese soufflé, this chef has shared incredible recipes inspired by his home country for decades. But what you might not be as familiar with is one of Pépin’s other areas of expertise: budget-friendly cooking.
After growing up in France during World War II, Pépin was left with a lasting impression of the pressures of food scarcity and the importance of being resourceful in the kitchen. These lessons have been woven into his approach to cooking throughout his career, with the chef always underscoring ways to minimize food waste.
Pépin strongly believes that great food doesn’t need to be expensive, a conviction that he’s made clear through his cookbooks as well as social media. The chef regularly shares some of his favorite affordable dishes online, and we’ve rounded up three of our favorites to keep in mind for any moment when your grocery budget feels a little tight.
Roast cabbage wedges
With a price tag that usually falls between $1 and $4 for a large head that will last for ages in your fridge, cabbage is one of the best deals you’ll find in the produce department. Don’t consign this cruciferous vegetable to only being used in coleslaw; instead, use Pépin’s simple technique to turn it into a stunning side that would fit right in at a dinner party.
After cutting off the bottom of a green cabbage and slicing the whole head in half, Pépin cuts each half into three wedges (six in total). The chef places the wedges on a foil-lined baking sheet and brushes them with olive oil or peanut oil before sprinkling on a layer of salt and pepper.
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He recommends roasting the cabbage at 350°F for at least an hour, covering it with foil halfway through. Once the leafy green is done, Pépin transfers it to a platter and finishes everything off with a drizzle of oil and some (optional) chopped chives.
The result is meltingly tender, caramelized cabbage wedges that Pépin explains would make a wonderful accompaniment for chicken or steak.
Bread and butter cookies
If you grew up eating cinnamon toast like I did, this four-ingredient dessert idea from Jacques Pépin may strike a sense of nostalgia. When sharing the no-recipe recipe on Instagram, he recounts that the sweet snack is something he’s made for his granddaughter in the past when he doesn’t have any cookies on hand.
To make these crispy morsels, you’ll need sliced bread, butter, sugar, and optionally cinnamon. Pépin cuts the crust off the bread — saving the crusts to turn into breadcrumbs later — and then spreads one tablespoon of butter on each side of the sliced bread.
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The buttered bread is dipped in a dish full of sugar, which you can choose to mix some cinnamon into if desired. Pépin presses down on the bread, ensuring that both sides are thoroughly coated in the sugar. He slices each piece of bread into four long cookies, then bakes them on a foil-lined pan at 400°F for about 10 minutes.
These “cookies” are ready to come out of the oven once they’ve become golden brown and crisp. They might be made of bread, but their buttery, caramelized notes would be more than welcome at a holiday party when you need a last-minute bite to bring.
Butter-glazed carrots and olives
This elegant side would be equally at home as part of a holiday spread or a weeknight dinner, and it all starts with a bag of baby carrots, which typically rings in at less than $2 or $3 per package. The dish does call for a few more steps, but it will still be on the table in under 20 minutes.
Start by adding the baby carrots, three-quarters cup of water, salt, a little sugar, and some butter to a medium-sized pot. After simmering the mixture with a lid on for about five to seven minutes, Pépin removes the lid and continues to cook the carrots while the water reduces. As the water, butter, and sugar cook down, they’ll start to emulsify into a simple, glossy sauce.
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After most of the liquid has evaporated and the carrots are tender, the French chef adds in the olives (he’s using Kalamata olives, but any pitted olive would work), another pat of butter, and some chopped chives. He stirs everything together, then turns off the heat and transfers the carrot and olive mixture to an elegant bowl.
For a final touch, Pépin sprinkles some tender herbs on top — he opts for chervil, but parsley or more chives would be excellent too — and the rich, briny, subtly sweet side is ready to serve.
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Dining and Cooking