Food director Emma Knowles loves chocolate marquise, subeditor Bianca Tzatzagos is partial to pissaladière, food editor Lisa Featherby will do anything for French onion soup… We put our heads together, came up with our favourite French recipes and compiled them into a slideshow just for you. Bon appétit!
Moules à la Normande
Moules à la Normande
Moules à la Normande
“Roll up your sleeves, grab a crusty baguette and a generous napkin and tuck into this moreish classic.” – Emma Knowles, GT food director
PHOTOGRAPH BEN DEARNLEY
Truffle omelette
Truffle omelette
Truffle omelette
“You just can’t go past simple ingredients, simply cooked. And eggs and truffles are two ingredients just made for each other. As truffles lose their potency by the hour, be sure to ask to smell the truffle first and buy as fresh as possible. Make sure the eggs are farm-fresh too and you’ll have a brilliant breakfast/supper in store.” – Lisa Featherby, GT food editor
PHOTOGRAPH CON POULOS
Buttered mushrooms
Buttered mushrooms
Buttered mushrooms
“The irresistible woody goodness of mixed mushrooms swimming in butter and garlic is a match made in heaven. Add a poached egg and toasted sourdough and it’s pure bliss.”
PHOTOGRAPH WILLIAM MEPPEM
Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic
Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic
Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic
“The name almost says it all, and yet you might find yourself surprised by the sweet mellowness of the finished dish.” – Pat Nourse, GT features editor
PHOTOGRAPH BEN DEARNLEY
Coq au vin
Coq au vin
Coq au vin
“After a scorching four days spent on the beach in Nice, a storm arrived and sent the temperature plummeting on our last night. We were in the mood for comfort food, and the winey, meaty goodness of coq au vin was a perfect final meal in France.”
PHOTOGRAPH CON POULOS
Duck and pork terrine with pickled cherries
Duck and pork terrine with pickled cherries
Duck and pork terrine with pickled cherries
“The French dish I love is duck and pork terrine with pickled cherries. A little (Okay, maybe a lot) of fat never hurt, especially teamed with pickled cherries and a crusty baguette.” – Alice Storey, GT assistant food editor
PHOTOGRAPH CHRIS CHEN
Chocolate marquise
Chocolate marquise
Chocolate marquise
“Rich chocolate mousse encased in light-as-air chocolate sponge – how can you go wrong?” – Emma Knowles, GT food director
PHOTOGRAPH BEN DEARNLEY
Baeckeoffe
Baeckeoffe
Baeckeoffe
“’One-pots score high on the comfort-meter. Hearty, rich, meaty and lush are just a few words to describe this brilliant Alsatian casserole, which is protein-packed with beef, lamb and pork and thatched with potatoes. If you really go all out, top it with bread-dough crust instead of the potato lid – it will smell amazing when you break it open at the table.” – Lisa Featherby, GT food editor
PHOTOGRAPH CON POULOS
Salade Lyonnaise
Salade Lyonnaise
Salade Lyonnaise
“The salty tang of bacon, the crunch of croûtons and bitter greens, the freshness of herbs, all bound with golden egg yolk and a wine vinegar dressing amped up with a little fat from the bacon. As compelling an argument for salad beyond summer as you’re likely to find.” – Pat Nourse, GT features editor
PHOTOGRAPH BEN DEARNLEY
Pissaladière
Pissaladière
Pissaladière
“My favourite French recipe has to be the pissaladière, from Provence. It brings together all the flavours I love – sharp anchovies and black olives with caramelised onions over a buttery base – and is even better eaten cold the next day.” – Bianca Tzatzagos, GT subeditor
PHOTOGRAPH BEN DEARNLEY
Choucroute garni
Choucroute garni
Choucroute garnie
“This is pretty much the poster dish for the region of Alsace, a powerhouse porkfolio crammed with various sausages, pork knuckle, loin and some slab bacon for good measure. The cabbage and potato foundation speaks to its German roots (choucroute being a Francophonic version of Sauerkraut), and it’s the perfect dish to soothe the masses on a chilly day.” – Pat Nourse, GT features editor
PHOTOGRAPH CON POULOS
Quince and brown sugar parfait
Quince and brown sugar parfait
Quince and brown sugar parfait
“I like to overcook the brown sugar slightly, which gives a hint of bitterness. Combine it with the sweet-tart quince and you’ve got really complex flavours. Sometimes I use apples instead of quince.” – Kerryn Burgess, GT chief subeditor
PHOTOGRAPH CHRIS CHEN
French onion soup
French onion soup
French onion soup
“French onion soup is a hard one to beat; it’s everything you need in one bowl. Go the extra mile and make the stock yourself – as quality beef stock is its foundation. That, and oodles of sweet caramelised onions topped off with a cheese toast. One thing’s certain: a bowl of this is a warm-up to the inevitable second.” – Lisa Featherby, GT food editor
PHOTOGRAPH CON POULOS
