Coq au vin is one of the most well known and popular French chicken dishes. It consists of chicken braised with wine, bacon and mushrooms. Although red wine is typically used, white wine can also be used to make Coq Au Vin Blanc. It can be prepared a day or more before serving, which willContinue reading “Coq Au Vin (French Chicken Stew)”
Tag Archives: French
Chocolate Soufflé With Grand Marnier Orange Sauce
The combination of chocolate and orange is truely magical. It is a classic flavour combination, used and enjoyed in a variety of recipes by foodies across the world. In this souffle recipe, quality dark chocolate is combined with orange flavours to take it to a whole new level. According to Lindt Maître Chocolatier Thomas Schnetzler,Continue reading “Chocolate Soufflé With Grand Marnier Orange Sauce”
Duck Breast With Orange Sauce
If you crave Duck à l’Orange, but you don’t feel up to roasting a whole duck, try this version with pan-fried duck breasts instead. Be sure to try my recipe for Duck à l’Orange as well!
Duck à l’Orange
Duck à l’orange, aka Canard a la Bigarade, is a classic French dish consisting of whole roasted duck with orange sauce. It is probably one of the most well known of all the duck dishes. It is said that it was the American chef, Julia Child, who made Duck à l’Orange famous with her popular recipeContinue reading “Duck à l’Orange”
Chicken Liver Pâté With Bacon & Port
Pâté is a mixture of cooked ground meat and fat minced into a spreadable paste. Common additions include vegetables, herbs, spices, and either wine, brandy or cognac. Pâté can be served either hot or cold with crackers or crudité. It can be served as an appetizer at a dinner party, or as a light lunch. It takes lessContinue reading “Chicken Liver Pâté With Bacon & Port”
Olive Tapenade Palmiers
A palmier (French for “palm tree”), is a French pastry that gets its name from its resemblance to a palm leaf. It is also known as elephant ear, palm leaves, French hearts, palmeritas (Spanish). It is made from puff pastry, so it is crispy and flaky. The traditional sweet palmier is coated with sugar, but a varietyContinue reading “Olive Tapenade Palmiers”
Florentines
A Florentine biscuit is a French pastry that is erroneously attributed to Italian cuisine. The Florentine was first made in France at the Palace of Versailles by the king’s top pastry chefs for visiting in-laws, the Medici family of Florence. Due to these close ties to Florence, it is not surprising that the French named this popularContinue reading “Florentines”
April/May 2015 Recipes
Although the French-inspired recipes included here are as French as the Cordon Bleu Culinary School, you don’t need to have the skills of a qualified French chef to make them. Some are classic, some are modernised, but all of them will give a French flair to your meals when you make them! As usual, I include my own favourites asContinue reading “April/May 2015 Recipes”
Quick French chicken
French cookery does not imply complicated techniques and expensive ingredients. Simple wholesome fare have been served by French cooks for generations!
Ratatouille
Ratatouille (pronounced rah-tah-too-ee) is a traditional French Provençal stewed vegetable dish, originating in Nice. Ratatouille is usually served as a side dish, but may also be served as a meal on its own, e.g. as an entree (see the Confit Byaldo vartiation below). Tomatoes are a key ingredient, with garlic, onions, baby marrow, eggplant, sweet peppers, basil orContinue reading “Ratatouille”
Sole Meuniere
Sole meunière is a classic French dish consisting of sole, usually filleted, that is dredged in milk and flour, fried in butter and served with the resulting brown butter sauce and lemon. Sole has a light but moist texture when cooked and has a mild flavour. The French word “meunière” means “miller’s wife” and refers to the way the fish is dredged in flour beforeContinue reading “Sole Meuniere”
French Toast
French toast is the champion of brunch. Nothing says “weekend” like tucking into crispy triangles of bread dripping with syrup or honey. In France, French toast is referred to as “pain perdu”. It is referred to as “lost bread” because it is a way to reclaim stale or otherwise “lost” bread. The hard bread is softened byContinue reading “French Toast”
Floating Islands
This impressive French dessert, also known as Snow Eggs, consists of delicate meringue clouds that rest in a sea of crème anglaise (French for “English cream”), a light pouring custard used as a dessert cream or sauce. Be sure to also try Carolie’s Poached Meringue on Golden Gooseberry Custard. Crème anglaise 500 ml fullcream milk 6 to 8 large egg yolks 125Continue reading “Floating Islands”
Potato Croquettes
Croquette, from the French croquer, “to crunch”, is a small breadcrumbed fried roll that usually has mashed potatoes and/or ground meat (veal, beef, chicken, or turkey), shellfish, fish, cheese or vegetables as a main ingredient. It is usually shaped into a cylinder, disk or oval shape, and then deep-fried.
Brioche
Brioche is a French pastry and is made in the same basic way as bread, but the dough is as rich as a pastry because of the extra addition of eggs, butter, liquid (milk, water, cream, and, sometimes, brandy) and occasionally a bit of sugar. Brioche is often baked with fruit or chocolate chips and served as a pastry orContinue reading “Brioche”
Quiche Lorraine
Quiche or savoury pie makes exceptionally good light meals, starters or side dishes. A basic crust and custard are used, while the ingredients are variable, e.g. spinach and feta quiche, pear and blue cheese quiche, etc. Quiche is a classic French dish. It consists of a open-faced pastry crust with a filling consisting of a savouryContinue reading “Quiche Lorraine”
French Onion Soup
In France this soup is standard bistro fare and is simply referred to as gratinee which refers to the topping of toasted bread and melted cheese.
Marvelous Meringues
Meringue, also known as “forgotten cookies” due to the fact that it is baked at a very low heat for a long time, is a type of dessert associated with French, Swiss and Italian cuisine. It is made from whipped egg whites and sugar as well as some form of acid, such as lemon, vinegar or creamContinue reading “Marvelous Meringues”
Creamy Mocha Mousse
This recipe is a simplified and healthier version of the ever-popular classic French dessert, Mousse au Chocolat. In her book “From Julia Child’s Kitchen“, Julia introduces chocolate mousse as follows: “It’s a sin, wickedly rich and fattening, but every spoonful is glory …”. I had a look at Julia’s chocolate mousse recipe but decided that it isContinue reading “Creamy Mocha Mousse”
Gourmet Chocolate Mousse Cake
This decadent cake is ideal to make for a special occasion. Chocolate Sponge Layers are filled with mousse and set. The filling may be made with any flavour of chocolate – dark, milk, white or caramel – for white or caramel, use only baking chocolate. The sizes and shapes of the cakes as well as theContinue reading “Gourmet Chocolate Mousse Cake”