France 

French cuisine seems sophisticated, and fancy with elaborate presentations, but what makes it universal is that it is based on logic, certain techniques like sautéing, roasting, braising, poaching, broiling and they all have a reason to be used. For example, a Beef Bourguignon would be braised because otherwise that cut of meat would be tough. French cuisine has too many varieties and in each dish creates a harmonious taste by elevating the quality of the main ingredient.

By using some of the French cooking techniques and the right ingredients, you can create amazing French meals in your own kitchen.

Steak Au Poivre

Steak au poivre sounds as if it would be difficult, but it is actually quite simple to prepare, and makes an easy and elegant meal. Traditionally, Steak au Poivre is made with beef tenderloin (filet mignon). The meat is crusted with cracked peppercorns and then seared in butter and oil in a very hot pan, cooked to proper cooking temperature, and then removed from the pan. While resting, a pan sauce is made and used to cook the steak. Serve it with scallion-mashed potatoes; and your home cooked steak au poivre will put the best neighborhood bistro to shame.

Making a pan sauce is a simple process that produces immense flavor in just minutes. In this recipe, the steaks are removed from the pan and then the pan is deglazed using brandy. The cook stirs with a wooden spoon to scrape up the tasty browned bits from the pan bottom; demi-glace and beef stock also add a depth of flavor. Before long, the liquid reduces to a delicious sauce. At the last minute, butter is whisked in to thicken and enrich the sauce.

A classic cassoulet, beloved by generations of French cooks is a rustic, slow-cooked dish made with white beans and a lavish assortment of meats, from sausages and succulent cuts of pork and lamb to poultry.

Crepe Purse Filled with Banana Crème Patissiere  And Sauce Au Chocolat

Ham, Egg and Gruyere Crepe

La Chandeleur (on Feb 2nd), is a French holy day where most French households will eat crepes at dinner time. This tradition finds its origins in an old Roman ritual of harvest & fertility. The crêpe is round and golden, reminding us of the sun to come, whose warmth will make the harvest possible.

On February 2 crêpes are offered in France on the  holiday known as Fête de la Chandeleur, Fête de la Lumière, or “jour des crêpes”. Not only do the French eat a lot of crêpes on this day, but they also do a bit of fortune telling while making them.  It is traditional to hold a coin in your writing hand and a crêpe pan in the other, and flip the crêpe into the air.  If you manage to catch the crêpe in the pan, your family will be prosperous for the rest of the year.

Paper-thin, the French version of pancakes are delicious for dessert (filled with Nutella or jam), or as a savory dish. Savory crêpes are called galettes and made with buckwheat flour. With their golden color and delicious nutty flavor, buckwheat galettes are the perfect base for savory fillings like ham, cheese, and egg.

A galette, in this recipe is a buckwheat crepe with a savory filling, filled with ham, cheese with a sunny-side-up egg.  The fillings are loaded into the center of the crepe, and then the edges are folded to create a square envelope, framing a brilliantly orange yolk. 

 

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