It’s always a pleasure to spend an evening with Jacques Pépin, Roxanne Coady, and hundreds of their friends.

Late last month, we all did just that upon the release of Pépin’s latest cookbook, Cooking My Way: Recipes and Techniques for Economical Cooking. Pépin, the Madison resident who also is a world-renowned chef and writer, was in conversation with Coady, who owns R.J. Julia Booksellers in Madison, at the First Congregational Church in Madison before a large crowd. The event was hosted by R.J. Julia, where I work part-time as an event host.

The conversation was wide-ranging and enjoyable, as it always is with Pépin and Coady. During the question and answer session at the close of the event, it became just how clear Pépin’s work resonated with people, particularly during the pandemic. One person after another, including a farmer from New York and a nurse from the New Haven area, talked about how much they relied upon Pépin, his recipes, his Facebook videos, his good humor, his exacting technique, his generosity in sharing all of the above, and more. The farmer invited him to visit and the nurse asked his advice as to what she should make next time she makes dinner for her friends.

Pépin recommended soup. Everyone loves soup, and you can make it in advance, which means you can spend more time with your friends once they are visiting, he said. And it’s a great time of year for it. Roxanne Coady’s husband, Kevin, joined in on the conversation with another similar recommendation for something warm and comforting, but that also can be made in advance: Pépin’s recipe for Chicken Bouillabaisse.

Near the end of the evening, a young girl sitting in someone’s lap took the microphone to ask another question: “What’s your favorite thing that you’ve made?” she asked.

“Bread and butter,” he responded. She laughed, squinted her eyes, and raised her eyebrows. The crowd laughed.

“Believe me, if you have really a fantastic baguette and extraordinary butter, it’s hard to beat that,” he added. She nodded and smiled.

And that’s a plan for the next time you have friends over. A fantastic baguette. Extraordinary butter. Jacques’ Chicken Bouillabaisse. Not sure what to have for dessert? Stop by your local bookseller and pick up the book, maybe, and see what it has to offer by way of ideas. I might opt for the strawberries with sour cream and brown sugar.

Chicken Bouillabaisse with Rouille

By Jacques Pépin

Adapted from his recipe in Food and Wine

www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chicken-bouillabaisse-rouille

Ingredients For the Bouillabaisse

Directions

In an enameled cast-iron casserole or Dutch oven, combine the olive oil with the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, lemon zest, saffron, fennel seeds and herbes de Provence; season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken, toss to coat and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, wine, potatoes and 3/4 cup of water to the casserole. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover partially and simmer over low heat until the potatoes are half-cooked, 25 minutes. Add the kielbasa and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender, 10 minutes longer. Stir in the tarragon; keep warm.

For the Rouille

Ingredients: potatoes and cooking liquid from the stew; 2 large garlic cloves, smashed; 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika; 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1/4 cup mayonnaise; 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, salt

Directions: Transfer 2 potato chunks to a food processor along with 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid from the stew. Add the garlic, paprika and cayenne and pulse to combine. Add the mayonnaise and puree. With the machine on, add the olive oil in a thin stream and process until smooth and creamy. Season the rouille with salt.

Serve the bouillabaisse in shallow bowls and spoon the rouille on top.