I think Julia wrote the recipe expecting her audience to just have leftover cooked lamb, leftover brown sauce, and leftover tomato sauce. So, yeah, if all you have to go buy is eggplant, it’s a simple-ish recipe. But totally not simple if you have to make the sauces, too!
and that still is simplicity only if you made all those things over the week and had any leftovers to speak of (certainly not at my house, leftovers are breakfast the next day)
I just watched his first aspic video, where he licked raw chicken liver juice off the plastic and burned himself twice on boiling water. He's come such a long way.
I've eaten really good Moussakas, for example in Greece and it's supposed to be a homey, simple dish. I respect Julia, but I think she overcomlicated this one a bit.
no I make Moussaka and it is HARD WORK !!! It takes forever to make and I feel like I need to lie down for 2 days after I make it. I think it is a dish leftover from the days when it was normal to have 4-5 women living in the house and they all spent all day in the kitchen cooking. Moussaka is fabulously delicious though.
Yes, it is a lot of work. Delicious but a lot of work. As questioned in the video, is it worth the effort? Once you realize that Moussaka is a fancy Shepherd's/Cottage Pie or Tourte Au Chou then you either divert or press on to honor Grecian gastronomy for whatever personal motives.
@@kirbyculp3449 moussaka is WAAAAY better than Shepherd's/Cottage Pie. it is not the same category at all. Shepherd's/Cottage Pie is ok. Moussaka is delicious.
When I saw "Julia Child's worst recipe" I immediately assumed this would be about the aspic. Since I can't imagine that ever being redeemed (the mistake is the recipe, not the chef!) I'm quite glad it was the moussaka instead!
That aspic is gastric nightmare fuel. I simply fail to understand every aspect of that recipe, including what could possibly possess someone to shove it into their gob. Not a chance!!
Yesterday, I met a lady who told me she has hundreds of cook books and loves to cook. Trying to make conversation, I suggested cooking videos on RU-vid. I said "I have been watching this guy cook Julia Child's recipes" and the lady, to my astonishment, said she had all of Julia Child's cookbooks and cooked them all the time. I am sending your channel to this lady.
Julia Child's old school recipes are a glimpse into to another time. What recipes as hers fail to mention is one key ingredient: A full time middle class housewife raised with the expectation that she is supposed to make fancy food happen.
The other missing key ingredient is a culture with aspirational attitudes. In that worldview there are upper class pursuits that have high value (like classical music, french haute cuisine, proper manners) and all people should try to know them to elevate themselves. Our culture is more nihilistic believing things like there is no hierarchy between music genres or food traditions, do what you want etc.
Actually, Julia came from a very wealthy family and her parents were mystified and horrified that she was learning how to cook. Her father was so upset that his daughter was forced to be in the kitchen that he sent her extra money to hire herself a cook. Julia was never expected to make fancy food happen -- she was supposed to have staff to do that. The fact that Julia threw herself into learning how to cook shows her immense curiosity and intellectualism, her desire to learn and achieve, and an enthusiastic willingness to roll up her sleeves and get stuck in.
This comment. I’ve worked full time my entire adult life and love to throw down a fantastic meal for my family. Cooking is therapeutic and a joy for most cooks. If you see it as work then I guess you’d feel this way. Idk. 🤦🏻♀️
I love the old moussaka video so much because when I was 11, my mom had just had my little sister and I volunteered to cook dinner for everyone, her choice. She picked moussaka, and I made the whole thing from scratch (not a Julia Child recipe, but similar). We sat down to a very late dinner, and my mom's first comment was "I never expected a packet mix to taste so good." I did not know we had a packet mix (it's probably why mum suggested it, to be fair to her), and had I used one it wouldn't have taken me two hours to clean up after myself. Like you, Jamie, I got way better at cooking after that and have been known to enjoy making moussaka, but for me it took decades!
she made it so complicated for absolutely no reason... I think it takes me like 1 hour prep time, depending on how quick I move and then cook time is also an hour-ish. But you did amazing trying to do exactly what it says and you've improved so so much!
most of julia's recipes are complicated for no reason because she's taking old recipes and trying to bring them to her audience. Recipes and cooking used to be VERY different than they are today. There's a lot of "old wisdom" that doesn't make much sense in her recipes.
I think a lot of her recipes are for dinner parties. Back in the 50s and 60s adults did do adult only things. My relatives did fabulous Mad Men style dinner parties, where there was not a crumb cruncher to see seen. My mom baby sat the kids. Her moussaka looks delicate and easy to eat. My relatives hated sliced potatoes in casseroles, so this would be up their alley. They said potatoes were cheap filler. God love French Canadians lol. If you watch her early shows, the tables are set for dining, and I assume adults only dining. She’s not whipping most of her recipes together for a family of 5.
considering she describes the cooked lamb as leftovers, I'm guessing she's intending you to make this when you happen to already have most of this leftover, perhaps at the end of several days of entertaining multiple guests. Different era
I'd love to know: 1) total elasped cooking time 2) total number of cooking vessels used 3) total cleaning time and I know this probably isn't possible, 4) energy usage. Julia's recipes are intense.
Bob Ross once said talent is pursued interest. Its so interesting seeing you improve your skills, practicing techniques, Seeing you cook with confidence is so satisfying. Real talent. Ive been a subscriber for a couple months, but I kinda binged your episodes 😂 and it's getting better and better and better. Thanks Jamie!
I've made moussaka a few times. I don't know what Julia Child was trying to accomplish with that, but I've never made or had moussaka that was anything like that. Looks fantastic this time, but the normal version is much easier and probably tastier.
I think a lot of big french chefs dont appreciate the delicacy of the taste of fresh ingredients sometimes. Only in french cuisine do i keep seeing recipes that just keep adding and adding and adding........
Having had moussaka a few times from Greek restaurants (which was very tasty) Julia’s recipe seems so overly complicated with results not worth the effort! I am a huge fan of Julia’s, but not that recipe. But you mastered it! ✅
This might seem a little dramatic but as a person who grew up around chefs in a family of food lovers, I think it's an absolute privilege to witness your food journey! It's so fun to see you go from following recipes to an absolute T to going with your gut - even if it fails sometimes. An Anti-chef day is always a good day! :)
The moussaka I know has bechamel sauce and potatoes, but it looks like solid comfort food, which always seems to involve a lot of work. I love eggplant, but I'm allergic to it, so I often substitute zucchini or yellow squash. It doesn't taste as good, but the texture is similar. Just cut the cooking time in half.
I LOVE this idea of revisiting your old fails! You've grown so much as a chef! 👏👏 We have some eggplant allergies in the fam so I'll probably never try it, but it reminds me of a big stuffed pepper.
Awesome to see your improvement over the years. Also the eggplant skins in the Charlotte mold reminds me of the facehugger eggs from "Aliens" and I can't unsee it.
My nana taught me that with cooking/baking back in the day, you were expected to read the whole book front to back and then begin with the first recipe. The books she was referring to also taught things like proper measuring techniques, terminology, different tools in the kitchen, safety, and so forth. I wonder if Julia's book was also made like this, or if it was expected that the reader already knew the basics.
Really good job! For the record, I agree that this recipe is much more trouble than it needs to be. I once made Bobby Flay's chocolate cake with the goats milk, etc. and it took me ALL day. It was really good - it was chocolate cake after all - but it weighed about 15 lbs, cost a ton and I decided that if I ever did it again it would be done over two days! Live and learn.
It's so amazing to see people redo older things and just be able to visualize how far you've come. As an artist, I appreciate this sort of thing greatly! I've been with you a while, and you've been amazing!
Jamie's style of editing is so organic, where funny creators use funny noises, visuals, or editing highjinks to enhance their humor, with Jamie it just feels like you're sitting at your friends kitchen counter occasionally setting timers and taste testing while he does his own silly thing
I appreciate Julia's exacting methods, her testing recipes time again, her whole presence in commanding a batterie de cuisine and the ingredients to pull together visions like this -even if personally, I find it not that appetizing looking by today's standards. I also appreciate how far your knowledge and skills have come! Onward!!
So I did see the original video back in the day and was excited to see him retry this. As he was making it, when he added the eggs, I thought to myself “he’s making an eggplant and lamb meatloaf basically, cool”. I felt vindicated when he made the same comparison at the end 😂
This is one of those recipes that makes the kitchen look like a war zone. It looks very impressive when you put it in front of your guests. Definitely a redemption arc for this one. Thanks.
So proud of you, Jamie! It looks great, and you did an awesome job interpreting Julia's recipe instructions. You've come so far in your cooking skills. Bravo!
Congratulations on the redemption. Greek persons would add the garlic with the lamb along with oregano. I think that would better this dish a lot. This seems a more trimmed down version, perhaps served more as an appetizer rather than a main? Or perhaps she was planning a very heavy dessert to follow.
Just so you know I’m super picky about cooking shows and you and Sorted Food have my attention. I love your reality and watching you go thru these hard recipes makes me want to try all! Thank you 😊
I just can't help and be surprised each time, in how many recipes Julia is able to sneak in such a specific tool (only one the first glance, obviously) like this damn Charlotte mold.
I hate it. I'm not going to get a unique, highly specific tool to make one thing and never use it again. I think Julia Childs is extremely overrated, and overcomplicates food to the point where it's just not enjoyable. Like, why does the mirepoix have to be so tiny? Why do you need to dirty a pan boiling the beef stock before adding it to the mirepoix? Why can't a heavy-bottomed,oven safe sauce pan with a fitted lid work, why is it so vital to have that damn mold?
I’ve been a fan from the start of this project. It’s so fun to see how your skills, comfort and instincts in the kitchen have evolved! You are a joy to watch❤
Charlotte mould!!! Welcome back! Edit: I see many attributing today's improvement to someone else. But you and I know it was the Very Important Pan that kept the whole rigamarole together and gave the viewers a lovely presentation. Take a bow, Charlotte. And it was nice for screaming siren to swing by briefly, wasn't it? It's the guest stars that bring the joie de vivre to the show. Also, washed mushrooms are pretty good. Know what's even better? 48-hour soaked mushrooms.
Wow! Really? As a Greek you would know, but I’m surprised because it is unlike any moussaka I’ve ever seen or eaten in Greek restaurants. But Jaime said it was good, so that’s what counts!
This recipe is so much harder than it needs to be. No one I know makes Moussaká like this. No restaurants go through the trouble to make it like this. You’re in NY now, yeah? If you’re in the City you can’t go 1/2 a mile without hitting a Greek restaurant. Next date night, go to one, get the Moussaka and see. It might be beef instead of lamb at some places, but it won’t be that.
@@sopdox you’re wrong lol, have you ever tried making it yourself? it’s honestly pretty similar- and I’ve had many from restaurants that look quite similar (not from New York btw I don’t know why you assumed that)
@@sopdox See, in a restaurant setting, this wouldn't actually be very hard, which is where I think the disconnect is. Most of this dish is made with things that would already be prepped. No need to spend hours making different sauces because you would presumably already have those sauces for all your other dishes.
Every time you say "bowl me" I simply die in admiration. What a cool move! To top it all, when you call yourself as this, it's a joy. You're a champ!!! And that admiration to her mousaka, that meant a lot of work: it is simply amazing.
I’m really excited to see you re-tackle a recipe and how it comes out! That said, it was still really enjoyable to see someone who didn’t really know what they were doing take on these almost indecipherable to a modern audience recipes and come out on the other side with an usually fairly edible dish. It was its own thing but I love seeing how far your skills have developed, not only your kitchen skills but your pretty much translation skills in figuring out what Julia means😆
WTG Jamie! Redemption! I agree that the missing components (Bechamel) are odd in this recipe. Personally, it’s not Moussaka without bechamel in my universe, but, as you said, there are many iterations of the dish. However, you accomplished what you set out to do and achieved Julia’s vision, and gave us an awesome video. Many thanks and congrats! ❤️😊
Being Greek, I love moussaka, but also being Italian, I have to say that tomato sauce was more complicated than it needed to be Actually when I saw the title of the vid, I thought you were going to redo the liver in aspic. I was like "please, no" 😅
Jamie and commentators. I've now watched AntiChef from the beginning and am now watching the new ones as they are uploaded. The first attempt was amusing and understandable. I am vicariously happy for you that you've finally conquered this recipe. Bravo.
Congrats on making that look like something! And, also, yeah. That's an insane amount of work for the end product. I find so many of Julia's recipes needlessly complicated and, frankly, dumb😂
Congratulations! It was a lot of fun watching this remake. It was great to see you tackle the recipe with your increased experience and of course, the Charlotte mold is priceless! It does seem to be a lot of work for the end result but kudos for sticking with it. Well done and thanks so much for sharing.🎉🎉🎉
I made a moussaka today, the kind with bechamel sauce and potatoes, and I was thinking of you and of this version as I was making mine. And as much as I love the bechamel-and-potatoes one, I don't really get this version at all, seems to be overcomplicated for no apparent reason
To be honest, most people would just buy tomato sauce and brown sauce instead of making them from scratch. So, actually the recipe is not that complicated.
Owning a Charlotte mold is now a status symbol. Inspiring. Maybe one day I, too will learn the art of deciphering and creating the most obscure of recipes.
16:24 I saw this on Sorted Foods a few weeks ago, instead of risking it with the raw eggs or guessing with the seasoning you can nuke a little bit in the microwave to cook the eggs.
there's very little risk in raw eggs. The risk from eggs comes from the shell, not the yolk/white. You're waaaaay more likely to get sick from meat or even uncooked flour than you are from american washed eggs. If an egg is bad you'll know immediately because it will look, smell, and have a different texture than it should. Also remember that a lot of people eat raw eggs every single day and never get sick.
would love for you to take a recipe you've done and do your own thing with it and see how you do. I think it would be really cool for you to put your full skillset on display since we've watched you grow over all these episodes. btw, I'm oddly proud of you for how far you've come!
I'm glad you redid this recipe! Moussaka is one of my favorite meals ever (like one of the top three last meals I'd request if I was on deaths row), so I was sorry to see your first attempt not work out. It's a testament to your improvement as a chef that this second attempt came out so well. Congrats!
I didn't know there was a different Moussaka version like this one, without the béchamel sauce. That's what makes the dish to me. Interesting. Thank you for this video. You've come a long way. Congrats.
Great job. I was so happy when you flipped it out of the charlotte mold and it looked good. You've come a long way. So glad you did your own thing with the sauce. 😊
Fabulous as always! I appreciate the occasional utterance of Canadian public school French. I do the same thing. 😂 Also, I made moussaka once….It’s like making 4 recipes all at the same time! So much work!
Im not a fan of eggplant, but my son needed an eggplant parmesan recipe for a school project. Found one straight from Italy, he explained that the salt just doesn't remove the moisture but also a lot of the eggplants bitterness. Completely changed my outlook on it. It wasn't just a good recipe of something I never liked, it was amazing. Btw great work on how far you've come.
My grandmother always salted eggplant slices and drained, rinsed, and patted them dry to remove the bitter brown liquid from them before using them in any recipe. I always do this too. When I started watching TV cooking shows and then RU-vid cooking shows, I was shocked that almost all of the presenters (I am loath to call them chefs or even cooks) skip this step in preparing eggplants for cooking. It is no wonder that people who have only tasted eggplants that have not been properly prepared for cooking say they don't like the taste of eggplant.
