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.
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 […]
Duck Fat Potatoes Duck fat potatoes are quite a delicacy in France – so when I had some rendered duck fat left over from frying duck breasts for duck à l’orange (see video below), I thought I’d make some. The verdict: easy and utterly delicious! The trick is to fry them for about 10 minutes […]
Chocolate Mousse Chocolate mousse has never gone out of fashion because it simply tastes so good (and is so easy to make). The trick to good mousse is keeping it as light as possible, so when adding the egg white and cream gently fold it in without stirring more than necessary, better to have a […]
Caramelised Baked Strawberries This easy dessert of baked strawberries is inspired by one my friend Janni Kyritsis taught me when we wrote Wild Weed Pie together. Throughout much of the year, strawberries are more about colour than taste. Baking them, especially with a touch of sugar, brings out their natural flavour. Baked strawberries make a […]
Saffron Poached Pears I love the simplicity of these saffron poached pears that chef Janni Kyritsis taught me to make many years ago. At MG Garage he served them alongside a delicate cardamom-scented blancmange made with yoghurt – I like them with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or dollop of Chantilly cream, or […]
Radishes with Cultured Butter Like this recipe? You’ll love my online French cooking class featuring the Food of Provence! I heard about this way of serving radishes many years ago, but it made no sense. Then one day I was served the most beautiful baby radishes with cultured butter and salt flakes – and it […]
Snails in Garlic Butter Escargots à la Bourguignonne. Is there anything more French than escargot? In this classic dish from Burgundy, the snails are really just a vehicle for the delicious garlic and herb butter, so ensure you have plenty of crusty bread to soak it all up. Ideally you’ll have special snail plates and […]
Chicken in Half Mourning This is my version of poulet demi-deuil, a classic French dish made by placing shaved black truffles under the skin of a chicken, resembling the veil of a woman in mourning. It seems that the appearance is only ‘half mourning’ because some of the bird’s white flesh is still seen; full […]
Braised Romaine Lettuce Who knew you could cook lettuce? It’s a revelation to many Aussies, but a traditional side dish in much of Europe. Italians love grilled radicchio and sauteed escarole (curly endive), while the French like braised romaine lettuce (also called cos), often adding tiny new season spring peas (petits pois). You could add […]
Duck a l’Orange I love this easy version of the classic duck à l’orange. It’s inspired by Pierre Koffman’s recipe for wild duck in orange sauce in Memories of Gascony and is simpler than most because it doesn’t require stock, just fresh orange juice. When they’re in season, I love to use Peter Dryden’s Poorman’s […]
