Jason Jones’s French institution Entrecôte was never meant to be permanent. Originally launched as a South Yarra pop-up in 2014, it quickly became a Melbourne destination for everything from distinguished dinners to Parisian-style picnic packs.
In 2021, Jones moved his “Parisian party palace” to a sprawling, 200-seat home in Prahran, complete with a brasserie and a courtyard that feels plucked straight from the eighth arrondissement.
Now, after 30 years in hospitality and 27 venues (including now-closed Melbourne spots Porgie & Mr Jones and The Stables of Como), Jones is bringing his flair and expertise to a new book, Entrecôte: Depuis 2015. The glossy white volume is part memoir, part scrapbook and part masterclass in the French classics.
Naturally, it includes dishes from his beloved French restaurant (like his signature steak frites with secret green sauce). It also stars this classic crème brûlée, which Jones calls “the grand finale of any proper French dinner party”.
For him, the theatrics are half the fun, including the hushed moment when the back of a spoon meets the glassy caramelised top. “The room always goes quiet for a second, then you hear that satisfying crack, followed by the collective sigh as everyone digs into the smooth, silky custard beneath,” he writes.
While this recipe is deceptively simple, it rewards the patient host. Jones suggests making and chilling the custard the night before so it’s cold before the final firing. “The only debate at the table should be who gets to crack it first,” he adds. “And if you’re anything like me, you’ll make sure it’s you.”
Want more free recipes? Sign up to our Cooking newsletter for weekly dishes from top Aussie and international chefs – from quick dinners to weekend projects.
Traditional vanilla crème brûlée
Serves 6
Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus 4 hours chilling time
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
960ml pouring cream
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
140g caster sugar
230g egg yolks (12 yolks)
Extra caster sugar for brûlée
Method
Start this recipe at least 5 hours before serving (but ideally the day before). Preheat oven to 100°C. In a saucepan, bring the cream and vanilla paste just to a boil. Remove from heat. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and egg yolks until combined. Slowly whisk in the hot cream. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook gently over low heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches 80°C.
Strain the custard through a fine sieve and skim off any foam. Pour evenly into six wide, flat ramekins (about 150ml each). Place the ramekins into a deep baking dish. Fill the dish with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake at 100°C for about 30 minutes, checking from 20 minutes. Custards should have a gentle wobble when done. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Just before serving, sprinkle a thin, even layer of caster sugar on each custard. Caramelise the sugar using a blowtorch until crisp and golden. Serve on a dessert plate with a folded napkin under the ramekin, as it will be hot to touch.
This is an edited extract from Entrecôte by Jason Jones. Published by Melbourne Books (RRP $89.90).
Dining and Cooking