Vive La France! The country that brought us Parisienne bistro classics and lesser-known regional dishes from the sunny Provençe through Spanish-influenced Basque and the Germanic Alsace. Here are some of my favourite French recipes.
Basque-style Octopus Braise This Basque-style octopus braise is inspired by a veal dish from the town of Espelette, famous for its dried mild red peppers. I wanted to create a pescatarian-friendly version, but it’s challenging finding seafood that can stand up to a long braise; so few aquatic species lend themselves to that style of […]
How To Make Crepes Whether you’re wrapping them around a savoury filling or making a dessert like crêpes Suzette, the aim with crêpes is to get them as thin as possible. This comes with practice and a good pan. Start with a heavy based, low-sided frying pan reserved just for crêpes and pancakes. Clean it […]
Grilled Provençal Prawns with Ratatouille The biggest mistake home cooks make when preparing seafood is overcooking it. This is especially true with prawns which are tender, sweet and delicious when cooked properly, but too often end up rubbery and tasteless instead. My top tip for superb prawns is to butterfly them without peeling and cook […]
Swordfish in Orange Sauce I find that meaty swordfish has quite an affinity with orange. This recipe was inspired by duck à l’orange, so you can call it poisson à l’orange if you want to be fancy. Swordfish has a tendency to dry out if overcooked, so I prefer to buy sashimi-grade fish and keep […]
Swordfish à la Bouillabaisse It’s impossible to create an authentic bouillabaisse on a small scale due to the variety and species of fish required but, in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Julia Child uses the same flavourings and technique to poach chicken – so why not come full circle and use them to poach […]
Navettes Navettes de Marseille are simple boat-shaped Provençal cookies scented with orange blossom water. They’re a delicious treat at any time and, as they’re quite firm, they’re often served with coffee, sweet wine or a glass of pastis de Marseille such as Ricard. The word ‘navette’ comes from the Latin nāvis meaning ‘ship’ and navette […]
Provençale Omelette Provençal omelettes tend to be open-faced rather than the folded omelettes found elsewhere in France. They’re also often hearty with stronger flavours typical of Provençal cuisine – and they’re a great way to use up leftovers such as ratatouille. I love a soft red, like the Father’s Milk pinot noir/gamay blend from Gentle […]
Orangettes I started making chocolate-dipped candied orange peel for dinner parties in the 1980s without realizing they had a connection to Provençe. Candied citrus rind isn’t a new thing and I’m sure many people have had the idea of taking it to the next level with a chocolate coating. In France, it’s associated with Provence […]
Mushroom Duxelles Duxelles is a classic French preparation of finely chopped mushroom and onion cooked down in butter with herbs (usually thyme or parsley), black pepper and salt, sometimes with a dash of cream, Sherry or Madeira. It’s used in a range of English recipes including stuffings, sauces and garnishes and, most notably, in beef […]
Salade Verte – How To Dress A Green Salad A simple green salad (salade verte in French) is the ideal accompaniment to so many dishes, whether it’s made from just one type of leaf or a mixture of several. It may be simple, but it deserves the same respect as the rest of the meal […]
