French cuisine: what makes it different? All about French cuisine.
French cuisine is known and appreciated all over the world. It is no secret that the French regard their dishes and products as part of the world heritage. There is also nothing surprising in the fact that French has become the language of culinary arts.
French cuisine is delicate, light, sublime and fanciful. Many believe that French cuisine is the best in the world, and France is the cradle of culinary arts. How much truth is in that saying? A lot, considering that the most limiting way of evaluating the quality of restaurants was born in France. The dream of all Seine-born chefs is to be included in the most prestigious Michelin food guide , every year the stars are awarded to the best of the best, and the honor and prestige that it brings to the chef and to his restaurant is beyond comprehension for many of us.
French cuisine is not very spicy. In addition to garlic, herbs are also used: parsley, thyme, rosemary, tarragon, basil and chervil (reminiscent of parsley with caraway). Fresh and dried herbs are added. They improve digestion and accelerate the metabolism. Herbs must not dominate the taste of a dish. A bouquet garni (parsley, thyme, bay leaf) is added to soups and stocks. Provencal cuisine has the most intense aroma – a mixture of basil, marjoram or oregano, savory, rosemary and thyme, possibly sage or mint. The use of Provencal herbs reduces the consumption of salt.
So, going through so many books, and tv shows, watching chefs like Julia Child or Jacques Pépin, I came with my ultimate list of French food, that is you need to try at least once in your life. Trust me on this, but there are a few dishes on my list that iv tried only once, and will never do it again… (yes, Foie gras and snails…).
So, without further ado, lets look what is are ethe most know and recognizable staples of French cuisine….
Coquilles Saint-Jacques – dish typically served as a first course. It is a combination of scallops, wine and cream, as well as mushrooms. It is typically served in scallop shells, which makes it quite elegant especially when entertaining! The scallop itself is topped with breadcrumbs and cheese and popped under the broiler, to get that’s crisp finish look.
for a sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Classic-Gratineed-Scallops/
Moules Marinières – A pot of classic French Moules Marinières is fast food at its best. Made with fresh, low-cost ingredients that still look very festive. Its takes about 15 minutes for this dish to come together from start to finish. Make sure to serve it with the rest of the wine left in the bottle and with plenty of toasted bread for dipping into the garlicky, salty broth. While the traditional version from Normandy is made with cider, a dry white wine will work wonderfully as well.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/moulesmarinierewithc_71787
Soupe à L’oignon – This is a French classic at its best. Traditional soup made of onions and beef stock, always served with small croutons, or larger piece of bread and melted cheese on top. This was traditionally a peasant dish, which dates to Roman times, which just proves that food created out of poverty and necessity, is always the best. The current version dates from the 18th century. The soup’s unique flavor comes from the caramelization of the onions, which often have brandy or sherry added during the slow-cooking process.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/how_to_make_french_onion_87434
Steak Tartare – This is a meat dish made from raw ground beef or more traditionally horse meat. It is usually served with onions, capers, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and other seasonings, often presented to the diner separately, to be added for taste. It is often served with a raw egg yolk on top of the dish.
For sample recipe, please check here:
http://www.cuisine-france.com/recipes/steak-tartare.htm
Pot-au-feu – This beef and vegetable stew is the ultimate French winter dish. The quintessence of French family cuisine; it is the most celebrated dish in France and considered a national dish. It honors the tables of the rich and poor alike. The cuts of beef and the vegetables used, may be different to regions, or even family traditions, but a main idea remains the same: inexpensive cuts of beef cooked for long times; oxtail and marrowbone, that will give that gelatinous texture; mainly root vegetables like carrots, turnips, parsnips, celery, onions but also white cabbage and leeks; bouquet garni, salt, black pepper and cloves.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/pot-au-feu
Cassoulet – Cassoulet is a comfort dish as its best, of white beans stewed slowly with meat. The dish typically uses pork or duck but can include sausages, goose, mutton or whatever else is simply available. This peasant dish originated in southern France, and its name of the dish comes from the pot (cassole) that it is traditionally baked in. This pot is a staple in many French homes, highlighting the popularity of this rich, hearty meal that is so perfect for those colder months.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/classic-cassoulet
Pan-seared Foie Gras – it is a fatty goose liver, created by force feeding the poor animal. For me, personally, its much to cruel to enjoy, but I will not judge others. Foie gras pâté is delicious by itself, but pan-seared foie gras has unique taste. The hardest part of this recipe is finding a fresh whole foie gras at a local store. Once you have it, the recipe is easy and the result mind-blowing.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/12/pan-seared-foie-gras-spiced-citrus-puree-orange-food-lab-recipe.html
Confit de Canard – This tasty duck dish from Gascony region is one of the finest French dishes. The meat is specially prepared using ancient conservation and slow-cooking process (confit). This sees the duck meat marinated in salt, garlic, and thyme for around 36 hours and then slow cooked in its own fat at low temperatures. This is a much healthier alternative to frying. It is typically served with confit roasted potatoes and garlic on the side.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.saveur.com/gascon-style-duck-confit-recipe/
Bouillabaisse – This saffron-flavored stew is the most iconic dish from Marseille. Its build up from four different types of fish ( Cod, Monk fish, Seabass, Turbot and many more varieties) and a variety of shellfish and other seafood ( and other seafood such as sea urchins, mussels, velvet crabs, spider crab or octopus). It is a classic that will be appreciated by all seafood lovers.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/bouillabaisse_00342
Ratatouille – one of France’s most iconic dishes. The dish made from vegetables shallow-fried and then layered in a casserole dish before being baked in an oven. This traditional peasant dish can be a side dish, appetizer, or a main course, and tastes great with red wine and fresh, crusty bread.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://tasty.co/recipe/ratatouille
Foie de Veau à la Lyonnaise – Calf liver. It may not sound appetizing at first but if you prepare it well it will amaze your taste buds. In Lyon, they make it with caramelized onions, but you can also use shallots. Another popular variation is to sauté the liver with parsley and garlic.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://app.ckbk.com/recipe/coun07667c08s001r002/foie-de-veau-lyonnaise
Aligot – Mashed potatoes with melted cheese and garlic. Native to the Aubrac, this yummy side dish it is an ideal comfort food. Warm, cheese, and cheesy… what can be better?
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.tastingtable.com/cook/recipes/Pommes-Aligot-Recipe
Tartiflette – A sumptuous potato dish from the French Alps made with melted cheese, lardons (French bacon), and onions. Simplicity as its best.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/tartiflette_59096
Gratin Dauphinois – An authentic gratin dauphinois does not have any cheese. It is just made of sliced potatoes baked in milk, or cream. Layered in baking dish and baked until bubbly brown and delicious. The preparation is easy and the result always satisfying.
For sample recipe, please check here:
Potatoes au Gratin (Dauphinoise)
Coq Au Vin – rooster with wine is a classic French dish that is not as complicated as it sounds. The idea to use “and old” rooster came from the time, needed for the meat to get soft, while cooking. Braised in a silky wine sauce, for long time, and finished off with butter for the most perfect sauce. Bacon, mushrooms, and pearl onions give this dish so much flavor and makes this one of our favorite chicken dinners to make for guests. They will be so impressed.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a30875984/coq-au-vin-recipe/
Raclette – Another brilliant melted cheese specialty. It is originally from Switzerland, but it is a quite common winter dish in France, that is one of the easiest meals to prepare — you just cover baked potatoes, ham and salami with the melted cheese. It is obviously delicious.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/raclette_88309
Boeuf Bourguignon – there is nothing more typically French than boeuf bourguignon. The dish originated in the same region as coq au vin, which is Burgundy. Boeuf bourguignon is basically a stew made from beef braised in red wine, beef broth, and seasoned vegetables including pearl onions and mushrooms. Originally a peasant dish, now a staple in French restaurants around the world. Traditionally, the cheap cuts of meat would be soaked in wine for two days to intensify the flavors.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/boeuf_bourguignon_25475
Escargots – French delicacy. Snails cooked with butter, garlic, and parsley. Fun fact: do you know that in fact, “French” snails are being imported from Eastern Europe, mostly Poland.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/escargots-a-la-bourguignonne-233523
Gougères – cheese puffs. Simply as that. Choux pastry mixed with the cheese and baked in a shape of small balls/doughnuts. Sometimes even stuffed with cheese to make it more decadent.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/gougeres
Croquembouche – French showstopper/ center piece dessert consisting of choux pastry puffs piled into a cone and bound with threads of caramel. In Italy and France, it is often served at weddings, baptisms and first communions.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/christmas_croquembouche_13159
Baguette – a long, thin loaf of French bread that is commonly made from basic dough (fun fact: the dough itself is defined by French law). It is recognizable by its length and extremally crisp crust all over.
For sample recipe, please check here:
How to Make French Baguette
Croissant – breakfast staple in every city and town of France. Croissants are made of a layered yeast-leavened dough. The laminated (check fancy in the kitchen post, for this technique) dough is layered with butter, rolled and folded several times in order to created layers upon of layers of flaky texture. It is quite liked a puff pastry. then rolled into a thin sheets, and cut into shapes. Rolled up into a half-moons and baked until crispy and golden brown. The croissants can be filled with chocolate, or plain.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.saveur.com/best-croissants-recipe/
Éclair – An éclair is a long oval pastry made with choux dough filled with a cream and topped with chocolate icing. The dough is typically piped into desired shape with a pastry bag and baked until it is crisp and hollow inside. Once cool, the pastry is then filled with a vanilla-, coffee- or chocolate-flavored custard (crème pâtissière), or with whipped cream and then iced with fondant icing.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.saveur.com/classic-eclair-recipe/
Macarons – a sweet meringue-based sweets made with egg white, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond meal, and food coloring. Extremely delicate cookies with a crunchy exterior and weightless interior. They have a nougat-like, chewy texture and can be filled with anything from frosting and salted caramel to lemon curd and chocolate ganache. Word of warning: those cookies are difficult to make and time consuming, but are they Impossible to make? Absolutely not. Its just require some practice.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a25324082/how-to-make-macarons/
Madeleine – traditional Madeleines are small sponge cakes with a distinctive shell-like shape developed from being baked in pans with shell-shaped depressions. A Génoise (an Italian sponge cake named after the city of Genoa) batter is used. The flavor is like, but somewhat lighter than, sponge cake. Traditional recipes include very finely ground nuts, usually almonds. A variation uses lemon zest for a pronounced lemony taste.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/daniel-bouluds-madeleines
Mille-feuilles – (“thousand-sheets”) vanilla slice or custard slice, like but slightly like the Napoleon. It is constructed of three layers of puff pastry with pastry cream (mixed with a little gelatin for a tighter cream that is not too runny), decorated with fondant and garnished with a chocolate spider web design on top,
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/search?q=millefeuille
Mousse au chocolat – Mousse means” foam” in French, and that gives you an idea, about the desired consistency of this dish. is a soft prepared dessert created from a mixture that incorporates air bubbles to give it a light and airy texture. It can range from light and fluffy to creamy and thick, depending on preparation techniques.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Classic-Chocolate-Mousse/
Saint Honore gâteau – This classic French torte is recipe a fitting tribute to the St. Honore, the patron of baking and pastry chefs., after whom it takes its name. Not a cake-based confection, this torte has a puff pastry base, topped with pastry cream and whipped cream, surrounded by profiteroles (cream puffs) dipped in caramelized sugar, their sugary tops resembling the halos of saints.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.monpetitfour.com/gateau-st-honore/
Blanquette de Veau – Blanquette just refers to a stew with a creamy white sauce, so in blanquette de veau veal is used as a star of the dish, but in variation, other types of meat like fish, lamb, or chicken could be used to make a similar white dish. The sauce is made of crème fraîche, flour, butter, lemon juice, and egg yolks, and this stew is often served with a side of white rice.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Classic-Veal-Cream-Sauce/
Brioche – is a type French bread made with a lot of butter and eggs, it is often thought as a type of cake because of its consistency and its many different varieties. It can be sweet like cake with fruit or chocolate inside, or it can be savory with vegetables or meat. It can be also left without any stuffing, and be used as a vessel for a sandwiches, and everything else that you can only dream of.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.saveur.com/brioche-recipe/
Cannelés (Canelés) de Bordeaux – small French pastry from the region of Bordeaux. They are surprisingly simple pastries, needing only basic ingredients–milk, flour, eggs, butter, sugar, and vanilla. But baking them at high heat in ridged fluted molds transforms them from a liquid batter to deep golden-brown treasures. They taste kind of like vanilla marshmallows, where the outer shell is crunchy and crisp while the inside is delicious custard.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/260821/caneles-de-bordeaux/
Charcuterie – Cooked and cured meats usually served cold. You probably know charcuterie from the conventional image of a fancy dinner party serving a fancy cheese and meat board. Charcuterie includes meats like pâtés, saucisson (salami), and rillettes, which are mention later. Types of charcuterie are made all over the world, but what makes French charcuterie so delicious and unique is the care that French chefs put into the product and the variety of charcuterie found in each region of France.
For sample recipe, please check here:
How to Build a Dinner-Worthy Charcuterie Board
Champagne – it is sparkling wine, but not all sparkling wine are a champagne. By law, real champagne can only be made in Champagne, a northeast region of France. Some of the grapes used to produce champagne in Champagne are Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay, and some of the most famous champagne brands are Dom Pérignon, Krug, and Bollinger.
Crème Brûlée – basically creamy, pudding-like, baked custard with a fragile top made from layer of melted sugar that cracks when you gently tap it with a spoon. It made of only a few ingredients: vanilla, egg yolks, sugar, and cream, but the technique require a little bit of knowledge and practice.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.saveur.com/creme-brulee/qui
Crepe – What would French cuisine be without crêpes? Essentially, a crêpe is a thin pancake that can be filled with whatever you like. The most popular, and most known version, called “Crêpes Suzette” is a dessert consisting of crêpes with “beurre Suzette”, a sauce of caramelized sugar and butter, tangerine or orange juice, zest, and Grand Marnier, triple sec or orange Curaçao liqueur on top, prepared in a tableside performance, flambé.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Crepes-Suzette/qoc
Croque Monsieur – literally translated to something resembling term of “crunchy mister” This sandwich is the better version of a grilled cheese. It is essentially a crispy ham and cheese sandwich often topped with béchamel sauce. The variation of the same sandwich, called “Croque Madame” it is topped with a poached or fried egg, this sandwich is called a croque madame because the egg looks like a hat.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/croque-monsieur
Palmier – Elephant ear, palm leaf shape or a butterfly shape, sometimes called palm leaves, Palmiers are made from puff pastry, a laminated dough like the dough used for croissant, but without yeast. Puff pastry is made with interchanging layers of dough and butter, rolled and folded over to create as many possible flaky layers as possible. Rolled out into the elephant ear shape coated with sugar, and then baked till its buttery golden brown.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://tasty.co/recipe/palmier-cookies-easy-dessert
Pissaladiére – is a French variation on the pizza topped with onion, olives, and anchovies. The dough is usually a bread dough thicker than that of the classic pizza margherita, and the traditional topping usually consists of caramelized (almost pureed) onions, black olives, and anchovies. Beautifully simple and totally delicious.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/pissaladi-re
Quiche Lorraine – this French classic, came from Germany in a kingdom called Lothringen, which the French later named Lorraine. This savory pie, made with a sturdy crust, that is always filled up with a custard that has cheese, some kind vegetables, and bacon or different type of salty cured meat.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a58388/easy-quiche-lorraine-recipe/
Rillettes – kind of like a pâté but not exactly. This dish is usually made from pork chopped into small bits and slow cooked in fat, but they can also be made from duck, rabbit, and other meats. Chilled in the fridge, until the mass becomes uniform. Served cold, as a spread. Very often used as a component of charcuterie boards. put this spread on a slice of baguette with a few cornichons on the side and you are set for life.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a58388/easy-quiche-lorraine-recipe/
Salad Niçoise – This traditional French is packed with protein meal made with tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, Niçoise olives, anchovies, and a nice drizzle of olive oil. Niçoise olives are grown only in the French Riviera, and are usually hard to get outside France, so kalamata will do just as well here. There are basically two versions of the salad. With a fresh tuna, just seared, and second one with a canned fish.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a58388/easy-quiche-lorraine-recipe/
Sauce Béchamel – If you eaten any French, I am sure that you probably taste sauce béchamel in at least one dish because the French love their sauces. This is one of the so called “Mother sauces” and it is one of the most useful and famous. Sauce béchamel is a smooth, white sauce made from milk, butter and flour, that can also serve as the base for other sauces. You can find this sauce in lasagnas, soufflés, and potato dishes.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/bechamelsauce_70004
Cordon Bleu – A cordon bleu or schnitzel cordon bleu is a dish of chicken breast wrapped around cheese (or with cheese filling), then breaded and pan-fried or deep-fried. Other variations use veal or pork, where the dish is made by pounded thin meat, wrapped around a slice of ham and a slice of cheese, breaded, and then pan fried or baked. Ham cordon bleu is ham stuffed with mushrooms and cheese.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chicken_cordon_bleu_44159
Tart Tatin – Giving to culinary legend, tarte Tatin was invented completely by accident, and since 1898 amazes by its decadent look and taste. A baker who was making a traditional apple pie, left the apples cooking in sugar and butter for too long. To rescue the dessert, she put the pastry base on top of the burning fruit and put it in the oven. Allegedly she then served the upside-down tart to her guests at Hôtel Tatin and the result turned into the hotel’s signature dish, that we can enjoy till this day.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/vanilla-bean-tarte-tatin
Flamiche aux poireaux – means “cake” in Flemish and this dish originates from northern France, near the border with Belgium. It has a puff-pastry crust filled with cheese and vegetables and resembles a quiche. The traditional filling has leeks and cream, although various variations of flavor profile and ingredients exist.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.epicurus.com/food/recipes/pate-aux-poireaux-leek-tart/5645/
Soufflé – The word itself soufflé comes from the French verb “to blow” and, and the name suggests, this is a light, airy dessert. The dish originated in early 18th century and till this day is a staple on dessert menus around the world. It can be made in savory as cheese soufflés, or sweet as vanilla or chocolate. In any of the versions, the consistency needs to remain light and airy, which is achieved but extremely gently folding the egg whites into the rest of the batter.
For sample recipe, please check here: savory :
https://www.thespruceeats.com/cheese-souffle-recipe-1375531sweet :
https://uncutrecipes.com/EN-Recipes-French/Chocolate-Souffle.html
Hachis Parmentier Often described as a French version of shepherd’s pie. It is French comfort food at its best and it is easy to prepare. A layer of mashed potatoes and a layer of juicy ground beef. Quick, delicious and filling.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.meilleurduchef.com/en/recipe/hachis-parmentier.html
Bûche de Noël (Yule log cake) – is a traditional dessert served once a year and only for Christmas. Made of thin sponge cake, formed into swiss roll, and assemble with decorations to resemble a piece of real-life log, covered with snow, with mushrooms and pine branches around.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/buche-de-noel-recipe
Magret de Canard – is duck breast from the Moulard breed of ducks, which is exclusively breed and raised is raised for foie gras, so its breast meat is thicker and more flavorful than that of other duck breeds. The meat is typically served thinly sliced and still slightly pink on the inside. Till today, Magret de canard can be found on tables throughout France, both in restaurants and private homes.
For sample recipe, please check here:
https://to-table.com/blogs/recipes/magret-de-canard-duck-breast-recipes
