DAUBE D’AGNEAU PROVENҪALE (LAMB STEW WITH OLIVES AND TOMATO) In Provence where this dish originated, local potteries sell pot-bellied casseroles with tiny round lids just large enough to insert your hand. Sizes vary depending to family numbers, there are ten of us when we gather in the Roussillon and the stout brown pot lives on
PEPPER STEAK For a stronger flavor, use more pepper, or to reduce the heat, scrape the crushed peppercorns from the steak before serving. You can use any tender cut of beef. Serves 2 2 tablespoons peppercorns 2 steaks, about 2 cm/3/4 inch thick (3/4-1 lb/375-450g total) 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, more for coating 1 tablespoon
SALAD OF HONEY ROAST CHICKEN WINGS AND BACON The first time Grandma read this recipe, she shuddered but she has to admit that the sweet-salt combination of honey and bacon with chicken is a winner. She uses the same glaze for other chicken pieces, too, to make a first course or lunch for four. Serves
LAMB CURRY Grandma and the family once toured southern India and she was astonished how her perception of the heat generated by chili pepper changed. After three weeks, what had been a curry of searing force seemed merely a pleasant tingle. She was relieved to find that her tastes returned to normal after a week
CATALONIAN MEATBALLS Down in the southwestern tip of France near Simon’s house, the cooking has a strong taste of Catalonia, meaning that olives, anchovy and garlic are key ingredients. Surprisingly the children seem to enjoy them, particularly when applied to their favorite meatballs, which can be served hot as a main dish, or at room
TOAD IN THE HOLE When Grandma was a child, the local pork butcher could be relied upon for his pork sausages, well seasoned but not too spicy, with a good proportion of meat and no chewy gristle. She always hoped they would be cooked in disguise as Toad in the Hole, peeking out of a
When I go to southern France and mushrooms are in season, I look forward to the particularly meaty, pungent ceps (also called boletus and porcini or “little pigs’, the Italian name). Ceps dry wonderfully well, an intense, fragrant addition to sauces and soups. They are outstanding with game birds such as guinea hen or pheasant,
Roast leg of Lamb with White Beans Roast leg of lamb is the French cook’s pride, paraded for guests, or a birthday, or for family Sunday lunch. To make the most of this expensive cut, a gigot is invariably cooked on the bone, with a clove of garlic tucked into the shank so it permeates
Rack of pork – the loin including the rib bones – makes an excellent family roast when topped with a savory breadcrumb mixture that cooks to be brown and crisp. The topping sticks to the meat surface thanks to a brushing with Dijon mustard, which can be mild or hot, according to your taste. Dijon,
One of my first memories of a good French meal involves Steak Marchand de Vin. Too late for lunch, I stopped one day at a bar where steak-frites was the only choice. The proprietor took out his pan and fried up fresh steaks as I watched, fascinated. After a quick sizzle on each side, he transferred the meat to plates and went to work on the sauce. In went a dusting of chopped shallots and garlic, and then came the wine, poured from an open, unlabelled bottle. But we were in Burgundy, and that bottle had a pedigree. Before my eyes the wine was boiled almost to a glaze to concentrate and mellow the flavor – the key step, I discovered, when I went home and tried it myself. Fresh herbs and cubes of cold butter, swirled in the warm sauce until melted, completed the dish.