French Recipes

French recipes to be found on this page:                        Other French Recipes 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Quiche Lorraine

Provencal Beef Stew

Salade Nicoise

Mousse au Chocolat

Ratatouille

Moules Marinieres (Seaman’s
Mussels)- Mussels in Wine Sauce

Easy Peche Melba (Peach Melba-
Peche rhymes with mesh)

Paella- (This one's from Spain)

FISH TAJINE A LA FRANCAISE

Coq au Vin (Chicken in Red Wine)
Pronounced- "coke o vanh"

Choucroute Recipe- pronounced-
"shoe' croote'"

Recipes from the Hostellerie
Berard in Provence

Quiche Lorraine

This is a well-known French recipe that can be served as a “starter” course, or on its own for
an easy dinner, along with a salad for example. Serves 6 as an appetizer and 2-3 as a main
course.

8 oz. (250 g) short (shortcrust) pastry (see below)
8 oz. (250 g) thinly sliced bacon
2 oz. (50 g) butter
3 eggs
1 cup (8 fl. Oz/250 ml) heavy (double) cream or crème fraiche
freshly ground pepper
6 pinches of freshly grated nutmeg

Heat the oven to 425 deg F (215 deg C). Lightly butter a deep 9 to 10 inch (24 cm) tart pan.
Roll out the pastry and line the tin, crimping the edge. Refrigerate until needed. Slice the
bacon into small pieces. Melt half the butter in a nonstick skillet and lightly fry the bacon,
stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. One can also wrap the bacon in one or two paper
towels and cook it in a microwave until almost done, not too crisp. Drain the bacon on paper
towels.

Break the eggs into a bowl and beat with a fork until blended, adding the cream, pepper, and
nutmeg.

Remove the tart pan from the refrigerator (see below). Scatter bacon over the bottom of the
pastry. Pour in the egg mixture and dot with the remaining butter. Bake for about 30 minutes
or until the quiche is lightly browned. Serve hot.

Wine pairing- We had a nice white Rueda wine from Spain which worked well. A white
burgundy (chardonnay) or riesling would also work well.

Pate Brisee
Short (Shortcrust) Pastry
For approximately 8oz. (250g) pastry (enough to line one 9-10 inch (24-26 cm) pan:
1¼ cups (5 oz/150 g) all purpose (plain) flour
3 oz (100 g) soft butter
1 ½ tablespoons water
½ teaspoon salt

If possible, prepare the pastry the day before, so that it loses all elasticity and is easy to roll out.

Place the flour, butter, water and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Mix for 30 seconds, or
until the pastry comes together into a ball. (This can also be done by mixing with a knife or fork
by hand). We found that more water was needed, so add a tablespoon at a time until you get a
good dough texture. Wrap the ball of dough in plastic wrap, without further kneading, and chill
thoroughly. Remove the pastry from the refrigerator 1 hour before it is to be used, and let rest
at room temperature.

Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface; transfer to pan. If possible, return pan to the
refrigerator for an hour before baking; although this is not absolutely necessary- the pastry will
cook better if pre-chilled. We did this and it worked well.

Provencal Beef Stew
serves 6-8

Here’s a fairly simple French country dish for a winter night. In addition here's a link for a
week of dinner recipes from the Cordon Bleu cooking school. Enjoy!

2 pounds boneless beef chuck shoulder roast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup dry red wine
3 cups ready-to-serve beef broth
1 can (14 ½ ounces) diced tomatoes with garlic, untrained
1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence (see below)
1 pound new potatoes, quartered
2 small zucchini, cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise in ½ -inch thick slices
2 small yellow squash, cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise in ½ -inch thick slices
½ cup French nicoise olives, pitted and cut in half
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Combine flour, salt and pepper. Reserve 1 tablespoon flour mixture. Lightly coat beef with
remaining flour mixture.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in stockpot over medium hear until hot. Brown ½ of beef; remove from
stockpot. Repeat with remaining 2 teaspoon oil and remaining beef. Remove beef from
stockpot.

Add onion and garlic to stockpot; cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until onions are tender. Add
wine; increase heat to medium-high. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until browned bits
attached to stockpot are dissolved. Stir in broth, tomatoes, Herbes de Provence and reserved
flour mixture. Return beef to stockpot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer 1
½ hours or until beef is fork-tender. Add potatoes, zucchini and yellow squash to stockpot;
continue simmering, covered, 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add olives and basil;
cook, uncovered, 2 to 3 minutes or until olives are heated through. Serve with cheese, if
desired.

Option- Instead of beef, Linda made this with pork about two weeks ago, and it worked very
well. Substitute pork roast for the beef in the same amount. Bon appetit!

Herbes de Provence:
We bring a stash home from France every year. If you can’t find it in the store, you can make
your own.

3 tablespoons dried marjoram
3 tablespoons dried
3 tablespoons dried
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

Combine all ingredients. Mix well and spoon into a jar. Makes ¾ cup.

Salade Nicoise - Salad of Nice (pronounced- sah l’odd’ knee swaz‘- accent on second syllable
of both words)

How about a simple and healthy dish for a weeknight dinner? This old stand-by favorite from
the south of France is more of a summer dish, but who cares? Every French cook has her own
recipe, so feel free to add or subtract ingredients as you like.

Serves 4-

-One head of lettuce or one bag of pre-cleaned lettuce
-Two cans of premium tuna. (Get the solid tuna, not the mashed up stuff used to make tuna
salad sandwiches. For example, Bumble Bee Solid White Albacore works well). You could also
pre-cook a tuna steak and cut it up into pieces if you want to be really authentic.
-Four medium sized potatoes, boiled, peeled, cooled, and sliced.
-Four tomatoes, sliced.
-4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and quartered.
-15-20 premium black olives (i.e., not the little ones from a can- use good olives).
-½ lb. fresh green string beans, steamed or boiled in water until crisp.

Dressing-
To be authentic, use extra virgin olive oil, or mix that with tarragon or wine vinegar. Salt and
pepper to taste. You can really use any kind of salad dressing you like, however. We
sometimes use ranch dressing, which isn’t very French.

Toss everything but the eggs, and arrange those last on the top so they don’t get mashed.
Then sprinkle the dressing on top of everything. You can also arrange in a more layered
fashion. Layer the lettuce on the bottom of a plate, and then place the tomatoes, green beans,
potatoes, tuna, and eggs. We normally just toss the salad, however, and put the eggs on last.

Serve with a Provence rose, chardonnay or other white wine, or pinot noir if you prefer red.

Variations- Tuna is actually a variation from using anchovies. Not everyone likes anchovies,
but those can be added as well. Some like to add artichoke hearts, or chopped green peppers
as well. Voila!

Mousse au Chocolat

The secret to this favorite dessert is to get the texture right. It took me three attempts, but I
finally got it. Pay CAREFUL attention to the directions below. Mousse means bubbles, or foam
in French. The result should be a rather light and fluffy chocolate mixture, not a hard sludge (it
was good tasting, but sludge nonetheless). Thanks to our old friend and neighbor in Toulouse,
Christine Pistre, for her recipe. She always made the best mousse au chocolat, which we first
sampled over 20 years ago. Also thanks to our friend Steve Kautz, my go-to man in tough
cases like this. Steve is a Cordon Bleu chef and owns Barracuda Bob’s in Colorado Springs.
Great food and great value. Their motto is: High Altitude- Beach Attitude.

Serves 4-
U.S. Measurements       Metric Measure
¼ lb.                             125 g                            dark chocolate of good quality
7 tbsp.                          100g                             butter (About 10% less than a ¼ pound)
3 eggs separated
2 tbsp.                          2 cuilleres a soupe       sugar

Preparation:
Place a metal mixing bowl over boiling water (level of water is below bottom of mixing bowl.

Melt the chocolate and the butter in the bowl while stirring constantly.

Mix the three egg yolks and the sugar very well. Pour this into the bowl with the mixture and
keep stirring until the mixture thickens (about two minutes or so- stir fairly vigorously- you don‘t
want scrambled eggs to form in your chocolate!). If the butter separates, then pour off the
excess. If it doesn’t, that’s fine too. (I had both happen for some unknown reason- it worked
either way). Take this off the heat for 5-10 minutes while you make the merengue as follows:

With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they form cloudy peaks, in other words a
merengue. Beat for about two minutes or so and you should have a bowl full of foam..

HERE’S THE IMPORTANT PART-
The airy lightness, or the mousse, comes form the foamy egg white merengue. With the
mixture still warm, but OFF THE HEAT, GENTLY fold the white merengue into the chocolate
mixture by hand with a wooden spatula. Start with about a quarter of the whites and continue
until it is all mixed with the chocolate. If you do this with a blender, all the bubbles or foam will
dissipate and your mousse will be sludge. The same thing will happen if the mixture is still on
the heat.

Pour into separate cups or serve out of your bowl after about 3 hrs. in the refrigerator. Can be
kept in the refrigerator and eaten for several days.

Good luck, enjoy, and I hope it works on the first try!

Ratatouille

This month’s recipe is a favorite southern France veggi dish: Ratatouille (pronounced
rat-tatoo-ya). This version comes from A Little French Cookbook by Janet Laurence. It’s
always a bit dangerous to use a Brit’s interpretation of French food, but this one isn’t bad;-)
Both U.S. and metric weights and measures are included.

4 oz./ 150 ml virgin olive oil
1 lb./ 500 g onions, finely sliced
1 lb./500 g tomatoes, skinned and chopped
1 lb./500 g eggplant, cut into 1 in./20 cm. Cubes
1 lb./500 g red and green peppers, seeds, etc., discarded, cut into 1 in./20 cm. Pieces
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
¼ tsp. Ground coriander
3 parsley sprigs, a bay leaf, sprig of thyme and marjoram, all tied together
(You can also substitute a tablespoon of herbs de Provence if this is easier)
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 lb./500 g zucchini, cut into 1 in./20 cm. Thick slices
Chopped basil or parsley

Heat oil gently, add onions and cook until well softened. Add tomatoes, cook until yielding
juices and then add the eggplant, peppers and flavorings and cook gently on top of stove, or in
preheated oven at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 45 minutes. Add zucchini and cook 45
minutes more. Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Drain off juices and boil to reduce
to syrup liquid. Pour over the vegetables, add the chopped basil or parsley and serve.

Moules Marinieres (Seaman’s Mussels)- Mussels in White Wine Sauce

Our Normandy guests saw this dish on almost every menu. Moules-frites is a Normandy
staple. Here’s a recipe that will remind you of your tour that you can serve for friends and
family. This version comes from “A Little French Cookbook” by Janet Laurence.

4 lbs. fresh mussels (Note- buy only fresh mussels no sooner than a day or two at the most
before making the dish. They don’t keep that well. We usually special order them from the
supermarket fish department).

1 large onion chopped
4-5 sprigs of parsley and a small sprig of thyme
Fresh ground pepper
4 tbsp butter
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup water
2 tbsp butter cut into small cubes
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped parsley

Clean mussels thoroughly, discarding any that won’t close. Place onion, sprigs of parsley and
thyme and black pepper in a wide, thick-bottomed pan. Add the 4 tbsp of butter and the wine
and water. Place half the mussels in the pan, cover, and place over a high heat for a few
minutes, shaking the pan every now and then so the mussels cook evenly. Check after several
minutes and remove mussels as they open. Keep the mussels in a warm serving dish.
Discard any mussels that won’t open. Repeat with remaining mussels.

When all the mussels are cooked and removed from the pan and set aside, strain the juices in
the pan and reduce to half. Take off the burner and whisk in the small cubes of butter to
thicken the sauce slightly, and then whisk in the lemon juice. Check the seasoning, add a little
more salt or wine if necessary. Add the chopped parsley and cook for another minute, then
pour the sauce over the mussels and serve immediately.

Serve with French fries, and a bottle of white wine. In Normandy the favorite is a Muscadet
from the Loire region. Those on our tour learned to eat these and look like a local, i.e., use an
empty mussel shell as pincers to grab each mussel out of its shell.

Easy Peche Melba (Peach Melba- Peche rhymes with mesh)

There’s still time to buy fresh peaches and enjoy this great summer dessert. Here’s an easy
version of the recipe that serves 6:

4 Fresh peaches
Vanilla Ice Cream
16 pz. frozen berry medley (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries)
Juice of ½ lemon
1 T Calvados (for our Normandy guests who brought home a bottle) or any other liqueur

Let berries thaw, than put into blender and puree. Add lemon juice and liqueur to the sauce.

Peel the peaches and take out the seeds. (If peaches are not very ripe, they can be blanched
to make peeling easier. Cut an X in the bottom, and put into boiling water for 30 seconds, then
peel).

Place peaches and a ball of ice cream (or two) in a coupe, then pour a bit of sauce to taste
over the top. Voila! (The hard core can sprinkle on a little more liqueur ;-)

Paella

Here’s a recipe we’re actually using for a dinner with family and friends this weekend! Of
course Paella is from Spain, but it is very popular in France as well. It is sold by the kilo, pre-
cooked in supermarkets or at beach-side stands. We’ve seen it in huge pans six feet or more
in diameter! (Impressive sight).

This is an easy recipe from “The Frugal Gourmet Cooks with Wine” which has been modified
slightly by Linda B. This dish has strong flavors and can be paired with a number of different
wines, such as chardonnay, pinot noir, or even an Australian shiraz, although most wine pros
will go with the reds.

½ cup olive oil
1 fryer chicken, around 2 pounds, cut up (or better yet just use legs and/or breasts already cut
up)
½ pound Mexican Sausage (Chorizo)
2 yellow onions, peeled and sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ pound smoked (or unsmoked) ham, sliced julienne
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
2 cups rice
3 cups chicken soup stock or bouillon
Pinch of saffron or turmeric (optional)
1 tablespoon paprika
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon thyme, whole
Salt and Pepper freshly ground to taste
1 box (10 oz.) frozen peas, defrosted
2 red sweet bell peppers, cut into rings
10 oz. Artichoke hearts, canned or frozen (defrosted)
1 pound fish filets, scallops, or squid, cleaned and and cut into pieces (fish can be almost
anything firm, red snapper, cod, sea bass, etc.)
½ pound large shrimp or prawns, peeled and de-veined
1 ½ pounds mussels or clams (Buy mussels fresh, no more than one day in advance. Tell the
store you need fresh mussels and when you‘ll pick them up.)
1 cup dry white wine

Heat a large paella pan or a large frying pan. If you do not have a paella pan, plan on doing
the sautéing in a regular frying pan and then placing the ingredients in a large, but shallow
Dutch oven, or a larger pan. You may need two large frying pans, as the dish serves 6-8. Add
¼ cup of the olive oil and brown the chicken pieces. Remove them from the pan. Add the
chorizo, the onions, garlic, and ham. Saute until the onions are clear and then add the
tomatoes. Saute for another 5 minutes and remove all from the pan.

Add remaining oil to the pan and add the rice, stirring over the heat until the rice begins to
brown lightly (note-the rice will cook in the paella pan, not in a separate pot or rice cooker).

In the meantime, prepare and heat the stock. Add the saffron or turmeric, the paprika, crushed
red pepper flakes, thyme, salt and black pepper to the stock. Bring to a boil.

Cook the mussels and/or clams in boiling water until they open. Note- if mussels do not open,
throw them away. The mussels should open in boiling water and are bad if they do not.

Pour the rice into the paella pan or Dutch oven. Pour on the peas and top with the red bell
pepper slices and the defrosted artichokes. Add the chorizo mixture along with the chicken.
Top with the fish (or scallops or squid) and shrimp. Push the seafood down into the rice a bit
and then pour on the boiling stock. Cook, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until the rice
begins to absorb the liquid. You must be careful that this does not burn. Turn the pan often
on the burner so that everything cooks evenly. Now add the mussels or clams, sticking them
into the rice, hinge side down. Pour the wine over the whole works and continue cooking until
the rice is light and tender.

This is a good dish to serve buffet style, allowing guests to choose what they like in their paella.

Serves 6-8.

FISH TAJINE A LA FRANCAISE
Here’s an excellent, low fat, fish and vegetables dish from Dylan Elhajoui, a chef at the 5 star
Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs. I took a cooking class from Dylan, who was once a
computer engineer who loved to cook. He eventually decided to follow his passion, and he
went to chef school and worked in Paris (he speaks excellent French). His heritage is from
Morocco, and Tajine is a generic dish there with many variations. Dylan shows his Paris
influence in his version, adding in a little flavor of Pernod and some white wine. The best fish to
use is Chilean sea bass, but unfortunately the species is in danger and much of what is on the
market these days is contraband. This dish will be superb in the summer, and it looks fabulous
as well. I usually show everyone the dish before it goes in the oven, letting them know that “ooh’
s and aah’s” are gratefully accepted (and expected, I suppose).
P.S. I find it best to leave the fish in the marinade and in the refrigerator over night. It seems
to add a better texture to the fish.

Preparation time: 1 hour
Serves: 4 to 6 persons
Cost: Moderate depending on type of fish purchased.

MARINADE

¼ cup parsely, chopped fine
¼ cup cilantro, chipped fine
2 tsp   coriander seeds, ground
¼ tsp cayenne pepper (Dylan called for double this, but I found that too much- this gives
enough bite)
1 T    salt
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 T paprika
1 T Pastis, Pernod, or Ricard (optional)
Juice of one lemon
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup reduced well-flavored chicken stock
1 T tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 lbs. Firm white fish (plan for about 1/3 pound per person)
Suggested fish include: wild loup de mer, Daurade, sea bream, wild striped bass, red snapper,
grouper, pompano, red mullet, sea bass, monkfish, Chilean sea bass, pink porgy, orange
roughy, whiting, etc.

TAJINE VEGETABLES
1 fennel bulb, sliced (green tops reserved)
3 large red potatoes, sliced
2 large carrots, cut into batonnets
2 medium yellow onions, sliced
5 arlic cloves, sliced
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 roma tomato, sliced
1 lemon sliced
½ green bell pepper, sliced
½ red bell pepper, sliced
½ yellow bell pepper, sliced
2+1 T extra virgin olive oil
Tt salt
Tt ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 sprig rosemary
2 sprigs oregano
2T dry white wine
2 springs of the reserved fennel tops

PROCEDURE

1. Preheat oven to 425 deg F.
2. In a large bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients and mix.
3. Add the fish fillets and cover them with the marinade (if using a whole fish, make cross cuts
on the skin and fill the marinade in the scores); set aside. I find it best to do this the day before
and leave in the refrigerator over night.
4. In a double steamer, cook fennel, the potatoes, and carrots to almost done (10-12 minutes),
chill in cold water and set aside.
5. Over medium heat saute the onions in 2 T of the olive oil until translucent.
6. In a bowl, combine the sliced garlic, chopped tomatoes and mix; set aside
7. In a large bowl, combine the sliced tomato, sliced lemon, sliced pepper and the remaining
olive oil.
8. Season all the vegetables with salt and pepper.
9. In a baking dish layer the onions in the bottom. Top with fennel, potato and carrot mixture.
10. Add the bay leaf, rosemary and oregano.
11. Place the fish on top in a single layer (do not stack pieces of fish on top of each other. If
necessary, use a larger baking dish, or more than one).
12. Sprinkle the garlic, tomato mixture on the fish.
13. Layer the sliced tomato, lemon, and peppers, alternating the slices.
14. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes uncovered.
15. Sprinkle with the white wine, cover, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more.
16. Remove from oven, garnish with fennel tops.
17. Serve hot.

NOTE: This dish can be prepared a day ahead, refrigerated and reheated thoroughly before
service.

Coq au Vin (Chicken in Red Wine) Pronounced- "coke o vanh"

No haute cuisine here, this French country dish has known many varieties over the centuries.
We’ve used it for several dinner parties, and it’s been a hit because it‘s good, of course, but
largely because it’s different. Here’s any easy recipe that comes close to the original (we’ll
leave out the chicken blood, thank you very much!)

¼ cup olive oil
2 yellow onions, peeled and sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 pound white mushrooms, sliced
¼ pound bacon, diced
2 fryer chickens, 3 to 4 pounds each, or use 5 pounds of breasts, thighs, and legs
2 cups beef stock
2 cups dry red wine such as burgundy or syrah (shiraz in Australia)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon whole thyme
Salt and pepper, freshly ground, to taste
½ cup minced parsley
4 tablespoons brandy
Roux: 6 tablespoon flour cooked in 6 tablespoons butter

Heat a large frying pan and add the olive oil, onions, and garlic and saute until they are
tender. Add the mushrooms and saute, on high heat, until the mushrooms are barely tender.
Remove from the pan and deglaze the pan with a little of the red wine. Pour the pan drippings
over the onions and mushrooms. Set aside.

In the same pan, saute the bacon until clear. Remove the bacon from the pan, leaving the fat.
Set the bacon aside. Cut the chicken into serving pieces, reserving the backs and necks for a
later soup stock. In small batches, brown the chicken in the bacon fat. Place the chicken and
bacon in a large kettle and add the stock, red wine, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper, parsley,
and brandy. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender, about 1 hour. Add the onions and
mushrooms and continue to simmer while you prepare the roux. Lightly brown the flour in the
melted butter and stir this mixture into the cooked chicken and sauce. Stir over the heat until
the sauce thickens.

Serve with new, or red, potatoes, along with a green veggie, perhaps broccoli, and a green
salad. Can also be served over rice or pasta, but we recommend the potatoes.

Serves 6

Wine suggestion: a pinot noir, cabernet, syrah, or merlot (despite what they said in “Sideways”)

Choucroute Recipe- (pronounced- "shoe' croote'"

You’ll be surprised how light and mild the sauerkraut tastes in this Alsatian dish when cooked
with wine (or in beer). The recipe is from the Frugal Gourmet Cooks with Wine, by Jeff Smith,
but Linda has added a few twists that make it even better.

6 slices bacon, diced
3 yellow onions
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thin
2 apples cored and sliced
3 pounds sauerkraut (1 ½ quarts) rinsed and drained. (Fresh kraut is best, but if not available
buy in jars. Avoid cans.)
2 cups white wine (or beer- see alternative below)
15 juniper berries (in Alsace these are always used)
8 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ pound of smoked ham, cut into 2 inch cubes
2 pounds of sausages, (combination of German smoked sausages, knackwurst, Polish
sausage, garlic sausage, or bratwurst- buy high quality sausages)

Heat a 6 to 8 quart enameled cast-iron casserole (do not use aluminum or black iron) and
saute the bacon until clear. (The Alsatians use special large oven casserole dishes). Add the
onions and garlic and brown lightly. Add the apples, sauerkraut, and wine. Also add the
juniper berries, peppercorns, and bay leaves into the pot. Cook for 2 hours on medium-low
heat, keeping the pot just at a simmer. (This could be done a day early and then refrigerated
at this point.) Stir the ham cubes into the kraut and top everything off with the sausages. Do
not cut them. Cover and cook until all is hot, about ½ hour. In the Alsace this last cooking
stage is done in the overn but it can also be done on a stove-top burner.

This can be served all together on a large platter. Serve with boiled parsley buttered potatoes
(don’t omit the potatoes!).

Alternative- Instead of wine, Linda usually cooks the kraut for 3-4 hours in beer in a crock pot
the day before after having drained the kraut and rinsed it, then proceeds with the rest of the
recipe. She does the final cooking stage in the oven at 350 degrees, as do the Alsatians.

Serve with a white Alsatian wine, perhaps a Gewurztraminer or pinot gris

One of our favorite hotels in Provence is the superb Hostellerie Berard in the medieval
hilltop village of La Cadiere d'Azur.   One of the hotel's buildings was a nunnery in the 11th
century! Proprietor and chef Rene Berard and his family offer an unforgettable experience in
this unique place. That is to say, experiences! One can take watercolor lessons, learn about
the gardens of Provence, and of course attend Chef Berard's famous cooking school. The
gastronomy enjoyed in the hilltop panoramic restaurant is fabulous, and it is with pleasure that
we offer some of his unique Provencal recipes, reprinted here with permission. Add a little
Provence flair to your table!

ZUCCHINI BLOOMS STUFFED WITH RATATOUILLE AND A CHILLED TOMATO COULIS

For 6 servings

Ingredients
12 fully-opened zucchini blooms
3 zucchini
2 egg plant
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
a few baby onions
2 ripe tomatoes
15 cl olive oil
1 tablespoon dried thyme flowers
3 bay leaves
salt
milled pepper
caster sugar

For the Ratatouille

Wash the vegetables and dice along with the onions. Pan fry the vegetables in olive oil
separately - 5 mins. for the zuchinni and eggplants, 10 mins. for the peppers and tomatoes.
Brown the onions in olive oil in a casserole dish then add the vegetables. Mix and season, then
add the thyme flowers, bay leaves and a pinch of sugar. Cook for 10 mins. in a medium oven
(185°C), then strain off the excess liquid from the ratatouille after cooking using a colander and
put aside.

For the zuchinni blooms

Two hours or less before serving, cut the bottoms off the zuchinni blooms and remove the
small, fine spines around the base using your thumb and forefinger. Put the blooms in cold
water and rinse, then drain and place on a cloth, taking care not to tear them. Put the
ratatouille in an icing bag and fill each flower to the top using a n° 10 nozzle. Place the stuffed
blooms on a greased baking tray, season with salt and pepper and bake for 10 mins. at 180°C.
The flower should look appetising and ready to burst open.

Preparation

Spoon two tablespoons of chilled tomato coulis into the bottom of the plate then add two
overlapping blooms. Brush lightly with olive oil and add a pinch of untreated Brittany sea salt for
the final touch.

Wine recommended : Bandol rosé

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PEACH SOUP WITH LEMON VERBENA

For 6 serves

Ingredients
2 kg white peaches
500 g sugar
10 cl lemon juice
1 bouquet of fresh lemon verbena

Preparation
The evening before, boil up the sugar in 1 litre of water for 30 mins. Add the verbena and leave
to infuse. Plunge the peaches into boiling water for 2 mins., then peel. Put aside half of the
peaches and cut and stone the rest. Blend the cut and stoned peaches using a blender or food
mill and add them to the syrup along with the lemon juice. The next day, halve and stone the
rest of the peaches, pour the soup into each dish and decorate with the peach halves and a
few verbena leaves.

BEAUX VOYAGES

FRENCH RECIPES