Not A Cooks Blog ... Mastering French Cuisine With Julia Child ... (Once A Week): Series Three: Part Nine: Eggs Jacqueline

This post is dedicated to Jacqueline - my sister. My recent visit with the girls seeing their Aunty Jac and family in Auckland was my excuse for not blogging last weekend. But it was not a weekend without its French culinary experiences. My brother in-law had sussed out a French Market in Parnell to visit. Mouth watering pastries, coffee and the purchase of a French loaf bag set the morning off beautifully. Even the canine's were catered for with decorative doggie treats for purchase.

A night market in an underground Warehouse car-park served us all very well for dinner, so there was no need to cook. However my sister had to prepare stuffed eggs for a 70 year old birthday party. In preparation I had brought up my Cordon Bleu - 40 ways with eggs, thinking surely there would be an appropriate recipe in that lot ... but alas there was not... google to the rescue.

We both could claim that egg stuffing was not one skill we had much experience with, however Jacqueline whipped them up like she was an old hand - and to boot they went down a treat at the party.

I only discovered from returning from that visit that there was actually a stuffed egg dish named "Eggs Jacqueline"- Cordon Bleu series 41. It just seemed to be appropriate to make it. I used the last of the duck eggs and made this the entrée course for Saturday nights dinner.

For the main I chose the "Chicken casserole with peaches" (series 43) for two reasons. One is that eldest daughter is the peach queen and secondly my mother had provided a jar of beautifully preserved peacharines for the eating. I accompanied the chicken with a pilaf - long grain rice, butter, turmeric (which is a magnet to any white clothes - including the top I had on!) chicken stock, which is cooked in the oven until the rice is tender.

The highlight had to be the Eggs Jacqueline though. First you line the ovenproof dish with a bed of asparagus. Then you place the cooked 1/2 egg whites on top, which are filled with an egg yolk, butter and prawn mixture. Additional prawns are scattered on top and then all is coated with a béchamel sauce and a sprinkle of parmesan. After 20 odd minutes in the oven the dish is ready to eat. I must say it was delicious with the asparagus being a winning combination with the eggs.

I need to go back to Auckland and repay my sisters hospitality and cook this tasty dish. What do you reckon sis - Eggs, Jacqueline?