This simple pan-fried potato dish has a surprising amount of wow factor and is very delicious. It’s a dish that’s been popular in Lyon since the early 1800s and it’s the addition of chopped onions that makes it Lyonnaise and not just sautéed potatoes! It goes well with just about everything from chicken to meat and fish and even salad.

Sautéed potatoes recipe for 4 people

1kg potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, chopped finely
3 cloves garlic (minced)
Small bunch of parsley (optional)

Either steam or boil the potatoes until soft, but firm enough to cut.

Drain and cut into slices.

Brown the chopped onions and garlic in half the olive oil, remove.

Put the potatoe slices in the same pan with the rest of the oil and heat until golden brown, turning to brown both sides.

Add the onions and garlic and stir.

Serve straight away sprinkled with the finely chopped parsley if you’re using it.

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This is one of the best summer vegetable and cheese recipes ever! Easy to make and absolutely scrumptious…

3 aubergines (Japanese eggplants)
3 ripe tomatoes
3 medium courgettes
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of a lemon plus its grated peel
A few fresh thyme leaves
200g feta or goat cheese

Slice the aubergines, ripe tomatoes and courgettes in very thin slices and put in a bowl with the olive oil, lemon juice and thyme. Toss, toss, toss until everything is a mess.

In a casserole make a layer of the vegetables.

Dot with half the cheese

Make another layer and do the same.

Sprinkle with breadcrumbs  and drip a bit of olive oil over the top.

Bake at high temp (185-200 depending on oven) for 40 minutes or until caramelized.

Delicious with a wedge of French bread or served over pasta.

Suzanne Dunnaway is the author of No Need To Knead, Handmade Italian Breads in 90 Minutes (Hyperion); Rome, At Home, The Spirit of la cucina romana in Your Own Kitchen (Broadway Books); No Need to Knead (Metric/American version-Grub Street Publishers, London).

More easy cheesy recipes

Gougères – cheesy balloons of deliciousness

Reblochon pie – just minutes to make and totally delectable…

Tear and share Camembert baked in bread

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Anything cooked Dauphinoise style simply means it includes potatoes and is baked in milk, cream and/or cheese. The name comes from the Dauphiné area of the southeast of France, near the Italian border. Called Morue à la Dauphinoise in French, it’s a quite simple recipe but this salted cod dish is delicious!

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds (200g)salted cod, desalinated 24 hours in cold water
1/2 cup flour (70g) mixed with a little sweet paprika and a little fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 large sweet onions, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 potatoes, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch rounds (or any way you like to slice potatoes)
1 generous cup whole milk (after desalination, the drained cod may sit in this milk to await its fate)
1/4 (60 ml) cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
Squeeze of lemon
1/2 cup (70g ) toasted bread crumbs
Dash of nutmeg (optional)

Method

Soak the salt cod in cold water in a container in the refrigerator, changing the water daily for two days.

This will depend on the cod. Some are saltier than others. The smaller part of the cod will de-salt sooner than the larger section, so you may remove it from the water ahead of the rest of the fish. Keep refrigerated until use.

Drain the fish and cut into serving pieces.

Heat the oven to 375 F or 195 C.

Toss the cod pieces with the flour, pepper and paprika.

In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil and sauté the onions and garlic until golden. Place these in a well-oiled shallow casserole.

Sauté the potatoes for a few minutes just until barely soft and add to the dish.

Take the fish from the flour mixture and place it on top of the onions and garlic.

Add the milk and cream to the casserole and dot with butter. Squeeze a few drops of lemon over the top.

Sprinkle the crumbs over the mixture

Bake for 35 minutes, then turn off the oven and the morue will hold for another 15 minutes.

Serve with fresh, stewed tomatoes and toasted baguette slices.

The leftovers may be whizzed up with fish or chicken broth into a mouth-watering soup. Add a spoon of Greek yogurt at the finish and a squeeze of lemon to keep the acids balanced.

Suzanne Dunnaway is the author of No Need To Knead, Handmade Italian Breads in 90 Minutes (Hyperion); Rome, At Home, The Spirit of la cucina romana in Your Own Kitchen (Broadway Books); No Need to Knead (Metric/American version-Grub Street Publishers, London).

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Yes – you read that right. 40 cloves of garlic. Apparently it was popular in the old days when cooking an old chicken. The great American cook Julia Childs liked to cook three heads of garlic whole leaving a buttery and sweet taste and “still kissable”.

When cooked, squeeze the soft flesh of the garlic and spread it on bread, big hunks of baguette, to enjoy with the chicken and the juices…

There are loads of different versions for this recipe, add cream, or cognac, some use pieces of chicken. This recipe is an easy to make version using a whole chicken. And it’s utterly scrumptious.

Serves 4

40 cloves of garlic
1 chicken
2 tablespoons olive oil
250 ml dry white wine (1 cup)
One onion
One carrot
2 stalks celery (leaves can be left on)
2 sprigs or teaspoon rosemary
4 sprigs or teaspoon thyme
Tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C (Gas Mark 6).

Peel the garlic.

Pop half of the chopped celery, rosemary, thyme, parsley and 6 cloves of garlic inside the chicken.

Slaver the chicken with oil and season well. Scatter the rest of the garlic in the base of a cooking dish with the rest of the celery, rosemary and thyme, plus roughly chopped carrot and onion.

Place the chicken in the dish, add the wine to the dish. Cover and bake for about 1hr 20 minutes. The juices should run clear when you pierce the leg with a skewer.

Lift the chicken out and leave to one side. Strain the juices into a pan and boil for a couple of minutes to thicken it.

Serve the chicken with some of the garlic pieces and the juices. Spread the garlic over bread, or toasted bread. You can also add the garlic to soups and stir fries for a burst of flavour. You can keep it in a small, sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

More French finger-lickingly good chicken recipes

Classic coq au vin

Poulet Gaston Gerard – a Burgundian classic

Poulet roti – it’s a must! 

Spring chicken with walnut and prune stuffing

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Rabbit, especially wild rabbit, is a flavourful and nutritious meat option, and as rabbits breed like, well, rabbits, it’s also a sustainable meat choice for carnivores. The flavour is deep and gamey, and this can be a little off-putting to some. But, with this recipe as your introduction, you’ll soon see why it’s been popular for hundreds of years.

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 75 mins
Total Time: 1h30 mins

Portions: 4

Ingredients:
1 x 1+kg/3 to 3.5lb Rabbit, jointed into 6-8 pieces, at room temperature
65g/2Tbsp Plain flour
65ml/2Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
60gr/2Tbsp butter
4 large shallots, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
200 gr/7 oz pitted d’Agen prunes
Several sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper for seasoning

Method:

On a plate, or in a plastic bag, add the flour and some salt and pepper, shake thoroughly to combine. Once mixed, add the rabbit pieces, and shake again to thoroughly coat all the surface area of the rabbit.

In a medium-sized Dutch oven, and over medium heat, warm the oil and when hot, add in the butter. Continue to heat until the butter begins to froth. When bubbling, carefully lower the rabbit pieces into the oil and butter, and cook on each side until golden in colour, about 7-10-minutes.

You may need to do this in batches, as it’s better not to crowd the pan or the rabbit will sweat, not fry.

Once all the rabbit pieces are cooked off, remove them to a plate, and cover to keep warm.

Reheat the pan to a medium-high heat, add in the garlic and shallots, and cook until the shallots become translucent – but not browned!

Once sweated through, heat for a few minutes until HOT, then add in the wine, and allow it to reduce down while you stir to dislodge any stuck on bits – the nice brown bits that make a sauce packed with flavour.

Reduce the wine to around half its original volume, then add the stock and bring to the boil. When boiling, arrange the rabbit pieces in the liquid, preferably in a single layer or slightly jumbled up, and add in the prunes and herbs, as well as a little salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Pop the lid on, and simmer over a low heat, a small burner on low is ideal, for around 45-minutes, or until the rabbit is tender. A good way to identify this is when the leg bones stick out and have no meat on the ends, and the bone threatens to fall out.

To serve, check that the rabbit is tender, carefully remove the rabbit pieces from the pan, use a slotted spoon if you have one, and cover to keep warm.

Arrange the rabbit over mashed potatoes, polenta or semolina, or steamed rice, scatter the prunes on top, and carefully ladle the sauce over the whole lot, then garnish with a nice sprig of parsley. A side of green peas go down a treat too.

If your sauce is a bit thin, you can boil, or ‘reduce’, it down until it’s thicker, or use cornflour/cornstarch to thicken. For an extra luxurious finish, you can also whisk in a dollop of creme fraiche, just be sure to lift the prunes out first!

Kit Smyth is a retired chef with a passion for French cuisine. Originally from Australia, Kit is dedicated to exploring both old and new ingredients, techniques and styles, and developing recipes for home cooks, she also teaches these recipes online and in-person. Find out more at her website: TheBiteLine

The post Lapin Aux Pruneaux | Rabbit with prunes recipe appeared first on The Good Life France.

Prepare to be dazzled by what the French call Crapauds farcis aux pruneaux et aux noix with its flavourful stuffing. Spring chickens, or poussins in France, often get overlooked, and prunes too are a bane to many school children. But, in this recipe, the two combine to create a classic dish from the southwest of France that will change your mind forever.

Ingredients: Serves 4

Stuffing:
15g/1/4oz butter
3 large French shallots, finely chopped
1 large clove Garlic, crushed
70g/1/2oz shelled and chopped walnuts
12 pitted prunes, chopped

4 Spring chickens/poussins
2 Bay leaves
8 rashers of streaky bacon
50g/2oz butter
40ml/2 tbsp honey
60ml/1/4 cup crème fraîche, or heavy cream
Juice of one lemon

Method

Stuffing:

Melt and combine the butter in a small pan, over medium heat, with the chopped shallots, cook until tender, about 10-15mins.

Add the garlic, cook for another minute, then remove from the heat and stir in the walnuts and prunes. Mix thoroughly, and allow the mixture to cool.

Preheat your oven to 180˚C/350˚F/Gas 4.

Divide the stuffing evenly between the chickens, tuck in half a bay leaf first, and then fill the cavity with the stuffing mix.

Tie the legs together with kitchen string, and tuck the wing tips underneath, wrapping the bacon rashers around the breast area of each one to protect them.

Place the stuffed spring chickens in a small roasting pan.

Melt the butter, lemon juice, and honey in a small pan, then pour over the four spatchcocks before transferring them to the preheated oven. Roast for 45minutes, or until a thermometer reaches 75˚C/165˚F.

Remove the spatchcocks from the tray, keeping them covered and warm, and heat the roasting pan on a burner until the juices are bubbling hot.

Stir in the crème fraiche, and season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, place the chickens on plates, and dress with the creamy sauce.

More prune dishes

Pork and prunes, simple to make and very tasty

Prunes and creams – so moreish!

Kit Smyth is a retired chef with a passion for French cuisine. Originally from Australia, Kit is dedicated to exploring both old and new ingredients, techniques and styles, and developing recipes for home cooks, she also teaches these recipes online and in-person. Find out more at her website: TheBiteLine

The post Spring chicken with walnut and prune stuffing appeared first on The Good Life France.

Noisettes de Porc aux Pruneaux or pork chops and prunes is a simple to make dish that’s really popular in France. Soaking the prunes in wine overnight gives them a deliciously rich taste.

Ingredients: Serves 6

6 oz prunes
500ml/2cups dry white wine
1.5-2kg/3-4 lbs pork loin roast, or boneless pork chops
Garlic powder
Plain flour
Light olive oil
250ml/1cup chicken stock
65ml/¼ cup butter
250ml/1cup crème fraiche or single cream
65ml/¼ Cup currant jelly
10ml/2tsp lemon juice

Method:

Soak the prunes in the wine overnight, in a sealed container, in the refrigerator.

Transfer the prunes and wine to a saucepan, bring to the boil as quickly as possible, then simmer for 10-20mins until the prunes are super soft. Drain the prunes from the liquid, and keep both aside.

Mix together the salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl.

If using pork loin, slice into 2.5cm/1.5 inch thick slices, and season with the spice blend. Then coat evenly in the flour, being sure to remove any excess.

Heat oil in a frying pan, preferably cast iron, once hot, carefully fry the medallions for 2-3minutes on each side until golden brown – do not attempt to turn the steaks until they have browned. Remove any residual fat from the pan, but do not scrape out the browned ‘bits’ from the bottom of the frying pan.

Heating the pan over a medium heat, melt the butter, and reserved cooking liquids, and the stock, and bring to the boil, stirring and loosening any ‘stuck’ bits from the bottom of the pan. Place the pork steaks back in the pan, preferably in one layer, cover and simmer gently for 45-minutes (set a timer), until the steaks are tender or the internal temperature is 65˚C/145˚F.

When your timer is 15-minutes from completion, set your oven to 135˚C/275˚F.

Once cooked, remove the pork steaks to an ovenproof dish and cover, place in the warmed oven until ready to serve.

Make the sauce

Carefully pour the crème fraiche into the remaining juice, and bring to a slow boil, whisking in the cream to ensure all the crème fraiche dissolves and the bits of ‘fond’ are incorporated into the sauce. (Fond is the culinary term for the bits of golden brown food stuck on the bottom of the pan).

Once thickened, add in the currant jelly and lemon juice, whisking quickly, followed by the prunes,

Season with salt and pepper, and continue to heat until the prunes are thoroughly warmed, but not disintegrating.

When you’re ready, place a pork medallion on a serving plate or platter, add a few prunes to garnish, and then generously coat both the prunes and the pork with the sauce.

Kit Smyth is a retired chef with a passion for French cuisine. Originally from Australia, Kit is dedicated to exploring both old and new ingredients, techniques and styles, and developing recipes for home cooks, she also teaches these recipes online and in-person. Find out more at her website: TheBiteLine

The post Noisettes de Porc aux Pruneaux appeared first on The Good Life France.

This baguette recipe is a close attempt to the magnificent one served at a café in the village of Giverny where you’ll find Monet’s garden. It makes for a substantial and decadent lunch, or relaxed dinner with close friends. It’s best served with cider, but also pairs beautifully with a crisp white wine.

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 30 mins

Portions: 4

Ingredients:

1 large French baguette, with the crispy-crunchy outer, sliced in half both-ways to create 4 long open slices
1 large brown onion
225g/8oz lardons, (thick cut bacon cut into batons will work)
1 wheel Camembert cheese
125g/4oz button/small mushrooms
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp butter

Method:

Heat a heavy-based frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat until it’s hot. Pour the oil into the bottom of the pan, and as soon as it’s hot, toast the open face of the baguette in the hot pan until the baguette gets a nice golden-brown tinge.

Once golden, remove the baguette from the pan, cut in half and rub the garlic over the exposed hot surface. Don’t waste the garlic, after you’ve rubbed all the baguette slices, mince the garlic and reserve to cook with the onions. Keep the baguettes warm, but not heated, wrapped in a tea towel usually does the job.

Keep the pan on a medium heat, and add the lardons, and cook until any fat on the bacon dissolves. Remove the meaty pieces and keep warm.

Add the onions and garlic to the pan, and cook until the onions are slightly caramelised. Remove from the pan and keep warm, add the mushrooms and the butter, increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the mushrooms also become golden.

Slice the Camembert lengthways, and prepare to assemble your open sandwiches:

On top of each open face of baguette, evenly distribute the onions and garlic, mushrooms, and lardons, top with the sliced cheese. If possible, place in a warmed oven, or large saute-pan with lid, or under a weak grill to gently melt the cheese over the toppings.

Serve with a side salad of frizzy lettuce, a light French dressing, and a crisp glass of cider and you could almost be in Monet’s garden.

Kit Smyth is a retired chef with a passion for French cuisine. Originally from Australia, Kit is dedicated to exploring both old and new ingredients, techniques and styles, and developing recipes for home cooks, she also teaches these recipes online and in-person. Find out more at her website: TheBiteLine

More on Monet

Monet’s house

Where Monet bought his lilies – the shop is still there and going strong!

Monet’s garden – like stepping into one of his paintings

The post Camembert Baguette a la Monet! appeared first on The Good Life France.

In my part of the far north of France, the Flemish influence is strong. You’ll spot it in the architecture in towns like Saint-Omer and Arras. And you’ll notice it in the traditional estaminets, inns, where the menu will often feature carbonade flamande. The recipe is from neighbouring Belgium (formerly Flanders) and takes its name from meat simmered over charcoal fires, a favourite dish of miners of the north. It’s rich, rustic and robust. And utterly scrumptious. It’s the sort of comfort food that puts a smile on your face.

Carbonade Flamande for 4

2 onions (finely chopped)
1 kg beef (2.2 lbs) (braising steak is perfect) (in equal pieces)
3 tablespoons flour
300ml/0.7fl oz Bottle dark beer (or blonde beer for a less strong taste)
1.5 litres beef stock (2.5 pints)
Big dash of red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme
1 clove garlic
2 carrots (in rings)
Salt and pepper
Butter

Slices of gingerbread
Mustard

Sauté the onions in butter then remove and keep to one side.

Cut the meat into small cubes, dip into seasoned flour and sauté the pieces in butter until browned all over. Add the vinegar and cook for two minutes, stirring. Return the onions to the pan with the meat, and pour the beer in. Stir and bring to the boil.

Add the beef broth, and sugar and bring to the boil.

Add the carrots and herbs. Slather mustard (Dijon works really well) over the gingerbread and cover the stew (mustard side down). Pop a lid on the pan and cook for around two hours on a low heat until the sauce is thick. If you want to make your own gingerbread – here’s a recipe from a Michelin starred chef

Some say it’s best when reheated the next day.

It’s traditional to serve carbonade Flamande with chips (fries) in the north of France. But it also goes really well with new potatoes, pasta and grilled gingerbread croutons…

More rustic dishes from France that are hard to resist

Tartiflette – a taste French Alps classic

Daube Nicoise – the taste of southern France

Reblochon pie – super easy to make and so delicious

Flammekueche – tarte flambée seriously moreish

The post Carbonade Flamande rustic French beef stew appeared first on The Good Life France.

Of all the fish soups I make, I love this recipe for bourride the best because it’s simple and quick to make. You can use any fish you like, though the classic dish is made with lotte (monkfish), says Suzanne Dunnaway.

I use a fish stock that begins with shrimp heads and tiny green crabs that make the famous dish of the Pyrenees, soupe de poisson, so pungent and rich. But you may use any fish stock you have on hand. I suppose you could call this Bouillairide! Bouillaibaisse and bourride in a perfect marriage.

Bourride is filling. A nice green salad and good bread are all you need.

Recipe for bourride

1/2 cup olive oil
2 sweet onions, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced.
2 pounds of monk fish, cut into serving pieces
4 potatoes sliced thin or in small dice
6 fresh tomatoes, crushed
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
4-6 cups of rich fish stock or use a little chicken broth, to cover
One big pinch of saffron
One large handful of parsley chopped fine
The juice of a lemon
Sliver of orange or tangerine skin (optional)
Sprig of fresh thyme
Salt to taste
Pinch of cayenne or one small hot pepper

A bunch of coriander, chopped fine (optional but oh, so good)

Simply place everything in a large pan. Bring to the boil and let it simmer until it smells incredible.

Serve with rouille on toasted French bread slices.

Suzanne Dunnaway is the author of No Need To Knead, Handmade ItalianBreads in 90 Minutes (Hyperion); Rome, At Home, The Spirit of la cucina romana in Your Own Kitchen (Broadway Books); No Need to Knead (Metric/American version-Grub Street Publishers, London).

More fish dishes from France

Scallops with saffron butter sauce, a recipe from Touraine, Loire

Hay smoked salmon with a citrus sauce – recipe from a top chef in Annecy, Haute-Savoie

Classic French salmon en papillote

Moules Marinieres – the taste of the seaside in France!

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