Requiring a mere 30 minutes to roast to crisp-skinned perfection, this recipe is adapted from one by Jacques Pepin. Coating the chicken with a savory mix of mustard, herbs, spices, and wine, then roasting it quickly at high temperature produces a flavorful, juicy chicken, and delicious pan juices.
Omelets are good, quick weeknight fare. Stuffed with garlicky French sausage, morels, and creamy cheese, they’re also sublime. Coulommiers is a cousin of Brie — made in the same region but with a slightly stronger flavor and a tendency to transform from creamy and solid to unctuously oozy when warmed.
Morel mushrooms are a treat of nature — only available from the wild and prized for their honeycomb texture and rich, earthy flavor. Combine them with a splash of cream and a hot pan to create an entree worthy of starring at your next dinner party… or the next time you have a hankering for morels.
Scallops’ delicately sweet taste pairs brilliantly with fragrant French cider, particularly when said cider is reduced to a luscious glaze that clings to each bite. The scallops are placed atop a bed of spinach studded with crisp bacon and sauteed mushrooms, then generously napped with the unctuous sauce.
Bruschetta (from the Italian word ‘bruscare’ meaning ‘to roast over coals‘) are substantial slices of bread, grilled or toasted, then rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil. With a hearty topping such as sardines they make a quick dinner, great for busy nights when you don’t feel like spending a lot of time cooking. Sardines are a superhero food: loaded with calcium and omega-3 fatty acids, high in protein and iron. As an added plus, they are low on the food chain, so are a more sustainable source of these nutrients than a carnivore fish such as tuna. Pair them with juicy-ripe summer tomatoes for a fast and flavorful bruschetta.
Boneless lamb roast spread with a garlic-herb paste, then coated with green peppercorn mustard and roasted on rosemary branches. The crusty, juicy result makes a sublime centerpiece for an Easter dinner or any special occasion. Baby Yukon Gold or Dutch Wax potatoes are roasted with the lamb, a perfect accompaniment for the savory lamb gravy.
Black truffles add their earthy savor to risotto, complemented by savory parmesan cheese and rich butter. A classic French mirepoix — a combination of onions, carrots, and celery — adds sweet vegetal flavors to the dish. Be sure to remove the risotto from the heat while it’s still a bit more liquid than the desired final consistency, as it continues to absorb liquid as it stands.
Tarte flambée is a specialty from Alsace, thinly-rolled bread dough topped with crème fraîche, thinly sliced raw onions, and lardons, then baked in a very hot oven. It resembles a thin pizza, and like pizza, the toppings can be varied infinitely. Here we take an approach suited to a quick weeknight dinner: start with a frozen base, add some tasty toppings, then quickly blitzed in a hot oven.
Tiny green Lentils de Puy keep their shape exceptionally well when cooked. Here they’re studded with pan-roasted vegetables and enriched with chicken stock, made fragrant with herbs. A perfect pairing with roasted meats and a hearty wine!
Confit de canard (‘preserved’ duck, aka duck confit) is a traditional French dish of duck that is salt-cured, then slowly simmered in duck fat until meltingly tender. Traditionally, the duck confit was stored in sterilized jars under a thick layer of duck fat to preserve it. While making duck confit is a multi-day procedure, excellent duck confit is available canned and in vacuum pouches. Although it’s not strictly necessary to preserve the duck in these products, the fat is still added as a traditional touch. Briefly sauteed in a skillet, then given a quick crisping under the broiler, duck confit makes a fast and delicious meal.