Beef Bourguignon: slow-cooked beef stew served with carrots, mushrooms, and mashed potatoes. Recipe via MonPetitFour.com

Beef Bourguignon: A slow-cooked Burgundy meal

The French are known for their talent and skill in their culinary creations, but perhaps one of their most loved dishes is actually one of their most simple. Beef Bourguignon is a beef stew consisting of beef that has been braised in red wine, beef broth, and infused with flavors of garlic, onion, and herbs. It was actually a meal made and eaten by peasants in historical France, but now it’s become a “fancy” dish to enjoy by people around the world. While it’s name and appearance can look fancy, I’m here to tell you that it’s actually a really easy dish to create.

pistou

Pesto Sauce (Basil Sauce)

Pistou, also known as the French version of pesto sauce, is like a dream come true for me. My favorite herb to grow, cook with, and eat is basil. I just love its flavor and aroma; both have this incredible ability to set the mood for whatever I’m making. Whether it’s a basil sauce pizza that has me imagining the Amalfi coast, or a white bean soup au pistou giving me visions of Avignon, basil has a transportive quality. 

Sole Meunière: Fish pan-fried in a lemon-butter sauce. 10 minute meal! Recipe via MonPetitFour.com

Sole Meunière

While I’m usually prepared to slow-cook, braise, and marinade my meats and poultry, I can’t say the same for fish. I’ve learned that fresh, wild-caught fish is most delicious when it’s romanced with simple ingredients. This sole meunière is the perfect example of that. A light dredge in flour, then the fish is off to a pan of brown butter to become succulent and moist beyond belief. This easy fish recipe is then finished off with a drizzle of lemon butter sauce and a garnish of parsley.

pot au feu

Pot au Feu (Beef Stew)

When you find yourself cozying up by a fire with your feet in socks and a blanket over your lap, there’s no better time for a comforting meal of pot au feu to warm your belly. I know this because I grew up eating this dish, long before I even knew what it was called. It’s the kind of meal that haute cuisine scrunches its nose at, but secretly devours with fervor and delight. Pot au feu, literally meaning “pot on the fire,” is a French beef stew made with meat, potatoes, carrots, and any other vegetables you can get your hands on. It’s uncomplicated and incredibly satisfying, making it a revered dish in France. 

coq au vin

Coq au Vin with Quince

One of my favorite aspects of French country cooking is the ability to seamlessly adapt recipes to incorporate pretty much any fresh fruit and vegetable that you like. Take a galette, for example. It’s a classic dessert made with pastry dough and a fruit of your choice. You could use apples, pears, berries – whatever your heart desires, because the simple fact is that with a touch of sugar, any fruit would bake beautifully on a buttery round of pastry. In the case of this coq au vin, I was able to incorporate the delectable quince I picked up at my local farmer’s market and make this dish feel like it had always been made with this seemingly “exotic” fruit.