American Masters

For tuna tartare, Pépin recommends dicing the fish with a knife instead of using a food processor, which tends to make the fish mushy. He serves his tartare with onions, scallions and a garnish of bread and cucumbers.

Cod is a flaky and affordable fish. Jacques Pépin serves his with a garnish of vegetables including mushrooms, scallions, radishes and olives, but it can be made with any leftover vegetables you may have.

Jacques Pépin's method for a simple baked salmon includes a sauce of ketchup, sesame oil, and hot sauce. He serves it with a side of caramelized endive.

On February 3, 2006, Martin Scorsese spoke with director Sam Pollard about the partnership between John Ford and John Wayne and how their films have impacted his career. Interview conducted for "American Masters — John Ford / John Wayne: The Filmmaker and the Legend" (2006).

The slow roasting of this dish makes for a tender and juicy pork. Pépin serves his with ratatouille, or stewed vegetables made up of zucchini, eggplant and tomatoes.

Pasta fagioli, or "pasta and beans," is a filling dish with pantry friendly ingredients. Pépin's version uses cannellini beans.

This versatile pasta recipe, adapted from Jacques' friend Ed Giobbi, can be tossed with a salad of any vegetables that are in season. Microwaving the veggies helps this dish come together quickly.

In the summer, Pépin likes to use fresh basil from his garden to make this pesto recipe. The basil puree can also be made ahead and frozen to enjoy in the colder months.

Another take on blueberries, lemon and mint from Jacques Pépin transforms the fruit into a simple and refreshing dessert.

This lemon posset is one of Jacques Pépin's simplest recipes. Adapted from Claire Clark the former pastry chef at The French Laundry, this chilled citrus dessert includes blueberries and mint.

Jacques Pépin adapted this recipe from his time as a breakfast cook at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée in Paris. Jacques uses melted vanilla ice cream and bananas here, but any flavor ice cream or fruit would work well.

On September 21, 1998, Harry Belafonte spoke about the intersection of music and race and the influence that Paul Robeson had on his career and the Black community as a whole. Interview conducted for "American Masters—Paul Robeson: Here I Stand" (1999), directed by St. Clair Bourne.

On July 12, 2012, Tracey Ullman sat down with director Robert Trachtenberg to discuss the joys of working with Mel Brooks for "American Masters - Mel Brooks: Make a Noise" (2013).

On January 17, 2001, actress and dancer Baayork Lee discussed landing her first role on Broadway at age 5, working with Richard Rodgers and other Broadway greats, and her passion for choreography. Interview conducted for "American Masters: Richard Rodgers: The Sweetest Sounds" (2001), directed by Roger Sherman.

On July 24, 1997, architect I. M. Pei shared his thoughts on the relationship between sculpture and scale, including why abstract sculpture has no limit to scale compared to the lifelike elements of sculptures scaled to the human figure. Interview conducted for "American Masters: Alexander Calder," directed by Roger Sherman.

On February 21, 2006, Gloria Steinem spoke about Marilyn Monroe's lasting legacy, what she represented to women and men, and how the advent of the women's movement could have provided her the support she desperately needed. Interview conducted by Gail Levin, director of "American Masters—Marilyn Monroe: Still Life."

On March 7, 2000, Laura Linney discussed her time at the prestigious and notorious Juilliard and how it helped shape her as an actor. "I was just lucky that Juilliard accepted me because it was the right program for me. It's not right for everyone, but I was really, really lucky to get in." Interview conducted for "American Masters: Juilliard" (2003), directed by Maro Chermayeff.

On July 31, 1997, Patti Smith shared her thoughts on the 70s rock and roll scene and how Lou Reed of the Velvet Underground inspired her as a young girl in South Jersey. Interview conducted by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, director of "American Masters—Lou Reed: Rock And Roll Heart" (1998).

On February 8, 1996, Dionne Warwick discussed her musical influences and the impact that Lena Horne and others had on her career, in this clip from our digital archives. Interview conducted for "American Masters—Lena Horne: In Her Own Words" (1996), directed by Susan Lacy.

On August 6th, 2001, musician Herbie Hancock sat down with Michael Kantor, director of "American Masters — Quincy Jones: In The Pocket" (2001) and current executive producer for American Masters, to discuss the legendary producer's career and influence in the music industry.