Best of French Food

Coffee mousse – light recipe

Taste this light and tasteful recipe of coffee mousse. Mousse is derived from the French word mousse which means “lather” or “foam”. A mousse is a stable prepared food that incorporates air bubbles to give it a light and airy texture. Preparation time : 10 mn Pause : 20 mn Cost : cheap Ingredients : [...]

Beef carpaccio

Carpaccio is a dish of raw meat or fish (such as beef, veal, venison, salmon or tuna) generally thinly sliced or pounded thin and served as an appetizer. According to Arrigo Cipriani, the present-day owner of Harry’s Bar, Carpaccio was invented at Harry’s Bar in Venice, where it was first served to the countess Amalia [...]

Crêpe Suzette

A crêpe is a type of very thin pancake, usually made from wheat flour. While crêpes originate from Brittany, a region in the northwest of France, their consumption is nowadays widespread in France and they are considered a national dish, and they are also increasingly popular in North America and South America. Crêpe Suzette is [...]

Galette des rois (King cake)

Galette des rois, or French king cake is a cake celebrating the Epiphany in France and traditionally sold and consumed a few days before and after this date. In modern France, the cakes can be found in most bakeries during the month of January. One version consists of flaky puff pastry layers with a dense [...]

February 6th, 2011

Banyuls wine

Banyuls is a French appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) for a fortified apéritif or dessert wine made from old vines cultivated in terraces on the slopes of the Catalan Pyrenees in the Roussillon county of France, bordering, to the south, the Empordà wine region in Catalonia in Spain.

The AOC production area is limited to four communes of the Côte Vermeille : Banyuls (from which the AOC takes its name), Cerbère, Collioure and Port-Vendres. Banyuls Grand Cru is an AOC for superior wines that would otherwise be classified as simply Banyuls. They must be matured for 30 months.

The production process, known in France as mutage, is similar to that used to make Port. Alcohol is added to the must to halt fermentation while sugar levels are still high, preserving the natural sugar of the grape. The wines are then matured in oak barrels, or outside in glass bottles exposed to the sun, allowing the wine to maderise. The maturation period is a minimum of ten months for Banyuls AOC. The resulting wine bears a similarity to port but tends to be lower in alcohol (~16% vs. ~20%).

February 5th, 2011

Tuna rillettes

Rillettes is a traditionnally a preparation of meat similar to pâté. Originally made with pork, the meat is cubed or chopped, salted heavily and cooked slowly in fat until it is tender enough to be easily shredded, and then cooled with enough of the fat to form a paste.

They are normally used as spread on bread or toast and served at room temperature.

Rillettes are also made with other meats, goose, duck, chicken, game birds, rabbit. In this recipe, we use tuna fish.

Preparation time : 20 mn
Pause : 1 hour
Cost : cheap

Ingredients : 8 servings

1 onion
300 gr tuna fish (natural)
50 gr capers
20 gr black olives
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons Mayonnaise
4 drops of Tabasco
2 teaspoons tomatoe purée
2 pinches of chives
2 pinches of basil
1 pinch of oregano
1 pinch of tarragon
1 pinch of dill
salt and pepper

Mayonnaise sauce :

50 cl sunflower oil
1 egg yolk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon French mustard (Dijon Mustard)
salt and pepper

Step 1

Chop the onion and capers very thinly. Remove the stone from black olives and chop them finely.

Step 2

In a large bowl, crush the tuna fish with a fork. Mix with the herbs : chives, basil, oregano, tarragon and dill.

Step 3

Add the onion, capers, black olives, Tabasco, tomatoe purée, lemon juice and mix.

Step 4 (Mayonnaise sauce)

In a bowl, combine the egg yolk (at room temperature) with mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper.

Then, whisk vigourously and constantly with an electric blender, adding the oil in a slow, steady stream. When the oil is all mixed in, the mayonnaise should be thick and fluffy, with your whisk forming ribbons through the mixture.

Step 5

Add 4 tablespoons of Mayonnaise sauce and mix again. Add some salt and pepper if needed. Cover with a clingfilm and place in the refrigerator 1 hour before serving.

Step 6

Serve immediately, with some bread. It is fantastic for a snack or as an appetizer.

February 5th, 2011

Marron glacé charlotte

Charlotte russe is a dessert invented by the French chef Marie Antoine Carême (1784–1833), who named it in honor of his Russian employer Czar Alexander I (russe being the French word for “Russian”).

It is a cold dessert of Bavarian cream set in a mold lined with sponger biscuits. You can have many varieties of Charlotte cakes with fruits, chocolate and banana, marron glacé, chocolate and nutmeg …

For this recipe, you will need a charlotte mold

Preparation time : 35 mn
Pause : 6 hours
Cost : cheap

Ingredients : 6 servings

Cake :

200 gr marron purée
120 gr marron cream
60 gr marrons glacés
3 cl whisky
2 gelatine leaves
30 gr crème fraîche
50 gr Chantilly cream (whipped cream)
18 biscuits à la cuillère (sponge cake)

Chantilly cream : 175 gr cream

15 cl liquid cream (very cold : 4°C)
10 gr white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar

Whisky syrup :

8 cl water
100 gr white sugar
6 cl whisky

One of the best marron cream is from Ardèche, in the South of France.

“Biscuits à la cuillère” are light, soft and sweet sponge cakes roughly shaped like a large finger.

Step 1

In a bowl, mix marron purée (the best is to buy some already made), with marron cream and 3 cl whisky with a wooden spoon.

Step 2

In a bowl, mix the gelatine leaves with water and let them rest for 10 mn. Then drain the gelatine leaves.

Step 3

Meanwhile, in a medium pan, heat the crème frâiche on medium heat and add the drained gelatine leaves, and stir.

Step 4

Add it to the marron mixture and stir again. Remove from heat.

Step 5 (Chantilly cream)

In a bowl, whisk the liquid cream with an electric mixer, on medium speed. After 2 mn, add white sugar and vanilla sugar little by little, keeping whisking until the cream gets firm. You will only need 50 gr Chantilly cream for this recipe. With a spatula, mix delicately the Chantilly cream with marron cream.

You can use the rest of the Chantilly with strawberries … it’s delicious ! Reserve in the refrigerator until you use it.

Step 6 (Whisky syrup)

In a pan, bring water to a boil with sugar. Remove from heat and let it cool down for 5 mn, then add whisky.

Step 7

Butter a Charlotte mold. Soak lightly the sponge cakes with whisky syrup. Line the sides of a cylindrical Charlotte mold with biscuits.

Step 8

Pour half of the marron cream over. Cover with crushed marrons glacés (Keep some marrons glacés to decorate the cake). Top with the remaining marron cream (keep some cream to decorate the cake). End with sponge biscuits that you place over the cream.

Step 9

Cover the cake with clingfilm and refrigerate for 6 hours.

Step 10

In order to unmold the charlotte cake easily, pour some warm water over the mold for a few seconds and turn the cake upside-down on a plate.

Step 11

Decorate the cake with marron cream and some marrons glacés. Serve immediately.

February 4th, 2011

Chantilly cream (whipped cream)

Whipped cream is cream that has been beaten by a mixer, whisk, fork, or whip until it is light and fluffy. Whipped cream is often sweetened and sometimes flavored with vanilla, in which case it may be called Chantilly cream or crème Chantilly. Whipped cream is a popular topping for desserts such as pie, ice cream, cupcakes, cake, and puddings.

A legend claims that it was invented by François Vatel, maître d’hôtel at the Château de Chantilly in the 17th century ; however, the name “Chantilly” is not recorded until 1784, when it was served to the Baronne d’Oberkirch at the Hameau de la reine in the Parc de Versailles ; the name Chantilly was probably used because the château had become a symbol of refined food.

Preparation time : 5 mn
Cost : cheap

Ingredients : 500 gr cream

50 cl liquid cream (very cold : 4°C)
30 gr white sugar

Tips : make sure the liquid cream is very cold. It should be 4°C : the best way is to refrigerate the cream for 2 hours before cooking.

Step 1

In a bowl, whisk the liquid cream with an electric mixer, on medium speed.

Step 2

After 2 mn, add sugar little by little, keeping whisking until the cream gets firm. Reserve in the refrigerator until you use it.

February 4th, 2011

Chocolate, coffee and mascarpone cream

Mascarpone is an Italian triple-cream cheese made from crème fraîche. It is a main ingredient of modern tiramisu and is also delicious as a cream. French restaurants often have desserts with mascarpone, as it is always a great success !

Preparation time : 55 mn
Cooking time : 15 mn
Pause : 12 hours
Cost : cheap

For this recipe, you will need to start the preparation the day before.

Ingredients : 6 servings

250 gr mascarpone
40 cl crème liquide
10 cl milk
60 gr white sugar
4 egg yolks
25 cl coffee
125 gr chocolate guanaja (70% dark chocolate)
1 gelatine leaf (about 3 gr)
20 gr crushed hazelnuts

Step 1 (The day before : coffee cream)

In a bowl, mix the gelatine leaf with water and let it rest for 10 mn. Then Drain the gelatine leaf, and mix with warm coffee and 20 gr sugar. Cover with a clingfilm and let it rest overnight in the refrigerator.

Step 2 (Mascarpone cream)

In a pan, mix vigorously 1 egg yolk with 10 gr sugar until the mixture gets white. Then pour some boiling milk over, kipping stirring. Remove from heat and pour little by little on the mascarpone. Mix until it gets even, then let it cool down. Whip 15 cl of the liquid cream and add it to the mascarpone.

Step 3 (Chocolate mousse)

In the top of a double boiler, over hot, but not simmering, water, melt chocolate. Meanwhile, whisk 3 egg yolks for 10 mn with an electric mixer. Mix 25 cl liquid cream with a mixer.

Bring 4 tablespoons of water to a boil with 30 gr sugar. Pour this preparation over the egg yolks, keeping whisking until the mixture has cooled down. Then mix with a spatula with chocolate and liquid cream. Cover with a clingfilm and let it rest in the refrigerator.

Step 4

Pour one layer of chocolate mousse in individual glasses, then top with mascarpone cream. Cover with a clingfilm and refrigerate until you serve this dessert.

Step 5

Just before serving, whisk the coffee cream vigourously and pour over the mascarpone cream. Drizzle with some hazelnuts.

February 3rd, 2011

Strawberry and raspberry charlotte

Charlotte russe is a dessert invented by the French chef Marie Antoine Carême (1784–1833), who named it in honor of his Russian employer Czar Alexander I (russe being the French word for “Russian”).

It is a cold dessert of Bavarian cream set in a mold lined with sponger biscuits. You can have many varieties of Charlotte cakes with fruits, chocolate and banana, marron glacé, chocolate and nutmeg …

For this recipe, you will need a charlotte mold

Preparation time : 35 mn
Pause : 4 hours
Cost : cheap

Ingredients : 6 servings

750 gr strawberries
250 gr raspberries
6 gelatine leaves
60 gr white sugar
75 cl crème liquide
250 gr biscuits à la cuillère (sponge cake)

“Biscuits à la cuillère” are light, soft and sweet sponge cakes roughly shaped like a large finger.

For this recipe, do not use ladyfingers which are drier and harder than biscuits à la cuillère.

Step 1

Wash and clean strawberries and raspberries. Drain them.

Step 2

In a bowl, mix the gelatine leaves with water and let them rest for 10 mn.

Step 3

Keep some fruits to decorate the cake. Mix the others in an electric blender to have a purée.

Step 4

Sieve the fruit purée in order to get an homogenous pulp.

Step 5

Drain the gelatine leaves.

Step 6

In a pan, mix 1/4 of fruit purée with sugar on medium heat. Add gelatine leaves and mix again. Then add the remaining fruit purée and mix. Add the crème liquide and mix.

Step 7

Line the sides of a cylindrical Charlotte mold with biscuits. Pour the fruit cream over. Add sponge biscuits over the cream.

Step 8

Cover the cake with clingfilm and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Step 9

In order to unmold the charlotte cake easily, pour some warm water over the mold for a few seconds and turn the cake upside-down on a plate.

Step 10

Top the Charlotte cake with some fruits. Serve cold.

January 30th, 2011

How to cut a pineapple ?

Cutting a pineapple is not so difficult, as you will see in this article.

If you want to save some time, you can use appropriate knives such as ceramic knives. They slice very easily the pineapple !

Cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple. Stand the pineapple on its side and cut the skin off of the sides in strips.

You should now be left with a cylinder of pineapple flesh. Depending on how close you sliced when removing the skin you will most likely have some divits left, you can remove these with a mellon baller or potato peeler easily.

Cut the pineapple in quarters and remove the core. Dice the pineapple into small cubes.

Ok, it is all done !

If you want to keep the pineapple yellow and fresh, you can top with some lemon juice. Otherwise, serve immediately, as they will get brown within 30 mn.

January 30th, 2011

Banana and pineapple flambé

Preparation time : 15 mn
Cooking time : 15 mn
Cost : cheap

For this recipe, you will need Mini-Cocottes. They are colourful individual ovenproof dishes. Some have some funy shapes, such as a heart, but traditionnaly, they are round.

Ingredients : 6 servings

2 pineapples
2 oranges
3 bananas
1 lemon
130 gr butter
60 cl white sugar
10 cl Cointreau liqueur

Step 1

Press the oranges to get some orange juice. Press the lemon as well, and keep the lemon juice in another bowl.

Step 2

Peel and slice the bananas in 3 sections, lengthwise. Pour half of the lemon juice over.

Step 3

Peel the pineapple and dice it. Pour the other half of the lemon juice over. Tips : you want to know how to cut a pineapple ? Have a look to “How to cut a pineapple” on this website, in “Tricks” category !

Step 4

Preheat the oven 90°C. Put a small dice of butter (5 gr) in each Mini-cocotte place in the oven.

Step 5

Meanwhile, in a pan, brown banana and pineapple with 100 gr butter on medium heat for 5 mn. Drizzle some sugar and mix delicately, until they get caramelised (about 3-5 mn). Add the orange juice and bring to a boil. Then lower down the heat and simmer on low heat for another 3 mn.

Step 6

Pour the Cointreau liqueur in a small pan, and heat on high heat (the alcohol should be almost boiling).

Cointreau is a brand of triple sec liqueur, and is produced in Saint-Barthélemy-d’Anjou, a suburb of Angers in France. Cointreau sources its bitter oranges.