Day 2794 (Friday) 31st January 2025

This is Villefranche-sur-Mer

and this is Villeneuve Loubet, near Antibes.

 

It was lovely and sunny this morning so we made a chicken and roast potato sandwich and went over to Passable beach in Saint-Jean Cap-Ferrat to eat it.

This is a private beach in the summer and it’s super expensive – it doesn’t look like much in the winter.

This is Villefranche

After yesterday’s horrors here are some of France’s best dishes to help you forget about tripe, trotters and testicles.

15 French meals you have to try

Image credit: Photography by Rob Palmer

Renowned for the best cuisine in the world, these French recipes will have you saying Ooh la la. Brought to you by Coles®.

1. Steak frites

Voila – this simple, yet impressive recipe is inspired by French bistro cuisine.

Photography by Andy Lewis

2. Chicken confit

In this classic confit, the chicken is salted and seasoned with herbs, then slowly cooked in olive oil to make it rich and tender.

Photography by Ian Wallace

3. French onion soup

See out the winter with this fragrant French onion soup. Don’t forget the cheesy croutons.

Photography by Ben Dearnley

4. Bouillabaisse

This traditional French fish soup is infused with saffron, orange, thyme and chilli.

Photography by Rob Palmer

5. Salmon en papillote

This clever technique of wrapping fish in paper before cooking ensures that all the moisture and flavours are locked in.

6. Quiche Lorraine

This quiche Lorraine is one of the most popular recipes on taste.com.au. Originally quiche Lorraine was an open custard pie with smoked bacon. It is only the more modern versions that add cheese to the mix.

Photography by Guy Bailey

7. Croque monsieur

Only in France could the humble cheese and ham toastie be turned into a gourmet fare. Add a poached or fried egg on top to turn it into the equally stylish croque madame.

Photography by Al 

Richardson

8. Boeuf bourguignon

Boeuf bourguignon is a great example of budget cuts of meat being turned into stylish haute cuisine. For authenticity, be sure to use a Burgundian pinot noir for this recipe.

Photography by Al Richardson

9. Cassoulet

Cassoulet is one of the great classics of French cooking, of which there are three regional variations. Over time the differences between them have become blurred and their ingredients debated. The crust is also contentious, with traditionalists insisting that it should be broken into the stew seven times during cooking.

Photography by Anson Smart

10. Lamb shank navarin

Navarin is a French lamb ragout (or stew). The lamb is cooked low and slow until it melts in the mouth.

Photography by Rob Palmer

11. Hazelnut dacquoise

With layers of nutty meringue and rich whipped filling, the classic French cake dacquoise – pronounced dah-kwahz- is so impressive.

Photography by Jeremy Simons

12. Frangipane tart

This French style tart has a fruity twist. Top it off with salted caramel sauce for a dessert everyone will love.

Photography by Ian Wallace

13. Tarte tatin

Was this creation the result of a mistake in the kitchen or did the Tatin sisters plan on baking their apple tart upside down? We’ll never know the real story but with a buttery base, rich fillings, caramelised fruits and lashings of syrup, this sweet tart is in a class of its own.

14. Souffle

These light-as-air desserts are nothing short of irresistible.

15. Paris-brest

Cousin to the croquembouche, this custard-frilled choux pastry ring is like a giant chocolate eclair.

Photography by Rob Palmer

Recipe for Navarin of Lamb

1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

900g middle neck of lamb, cut into pieces

Dripping

2 tablespoon plain flour

725ml hot water

1 tablespoon tomato purée

1 clove garlic, crushed

½ teaspoon dried thyme (or a sprig of fresh)

8 small onions, peeled and left whole

6 baby turnips, peeled and quartered

6 small carrots, scraped and cut into 2.5cm lengths

12 very small new potatoes, scraped

1 teaspoon brown sugar

Seasoning

Method

Begin by heating some dripping into a large flameproof casserole.

Trim any excess fat from the meat, then season the pieces and fry them in the hot fat until brown on all sides. Now sprinkle in the flour and, keeping the heat fairly low, stir it around to soak up the juices. Next add the hot water, tomato purée, crushed garlic and thyme. Then bring everything gently to simmering point, giving it a stir now and then. Put the lid on and cook very gently for 45 minutes.

While that’s happening, using a little more dripping, fry the prepared onions, turnips and carrots. When the 45 minutes are up, add these vegetables to the casserole, along with the scraped potatoes, and bring to simmering point again. Add the sugar, cover and continue to simmer gently for a further 45 minutes.

Recipe for Tarte tatin

Serves 6

Dark and sticky caramel, sweet apples and crisp pastry combine to make this heavenly French dessert. And with Raymond Blanc's recipe, you can make it perfectly every time

Ingredients

300g all-butter puff pastry

plain flour

for dusting

6 dessert apples

(about 900g/2lb), such as Braeburn, Cox’s Orange Pippin or Adam’s Pearmain

100g golden caster sugar

85g unsalted butter

(60g/21/4oz chilled and diced, 25g/1oz melted)

crème fraîche

(full-fat please!) or high-quality vanilla ice cream, to serve

Method

step 1

Roll the pastry to a 3mm-thick round on a lightly floured surface and cut a 24cm circle, using a plate as a guide. Lightly prick all over with a fork, place on a baking sheet, then cover and freeze while preparing the apples.

step 2

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Peel, quarter and core the apples. Put the sugar in a flameproof 20cm ceramic tatin dish or a 20cm ovenproof heavy-based frying pan and place over a medium-high heat. Cook the sugar for 5-7 mins to a dark amber caramel syrup that’s starting to smoke, then turn off the heat and stir in the 60g diced chilled butter.

step 3

To assemble the tarte tatin, arrange the apple quarters very tightly in a circle around the edge of the dish first, rounded-side down, then fill in the middle in a similar fashion. Gently press with your hands to ensure there are no gaps. Brush the fruit with the melted butter.

step 4

Bake in the oven for 30 mins, then remove and place the disc of frozen puff pastry on top – it will quickly defrost. Tuck the edges down the inside of the dish and, with a knife, prick a few holes in the pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake for a further 40-45 mins until the pastry is golden brown and crisp.

step 5

Allow to cool to room temperature for 1 hr before running a knife around the edge of the dish and inverting it onto a large serving plate that is deep enough to contain the juices. Serve with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.