Are you looking for a new cuisine to try? French food is one of the most popular cuisines in the world. It’s famous for its rich sauces, hearty dishes, and decadent desserts. If you’re looking to spice up your life with something new, it’s time to take a trip to France! You’ll find everything from classic dishes like steak fries and coq au vin to more modern creations like crème brûlée or macarons.
So what are you waiting for? Let’s explore this delicious cuisine together today! And if you want some wine with that meal, don’t worry – there are plenty of options available too!
Top French Food You Should Try
#1. Soupe à l’oignon
The French food “Soupe à l’oignon” soup is made with beef stock, onions, carrots, celery, and other vegetables. The dish should be thickened by the addition of potato starch or rice flour after cooking. It’s usually served as an appetizer at the table before the main course to stimulate one’s appetite. This soup is most commonly served with croutons but can also be served with cheese.
Ingredients
- 4 onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp butter or olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour for coating the beef cubes
- 1 lb blade steak, cut into small cubes (thinly chopped)
- 5 carrots peeled and sliced
- 4 celery stalks, sliced
- 3 large potatoes peeled and diced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Vegetable oil for frying the croutons (optional)
Directions
Peel the carrots and potatoes. Slice all vegetables into small chunks—heat butter in a large saucepan or stockpot on medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, stirring occasionally. Place the beef in a bowl, toss with the flour to coat it evenly, then add to the onion mixture. Cook while stirring for about 3 minutes. Pour in the beef stock, increase the heat to the high, season with salt and pepper.
Add carrots, celery, potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for about 1½ hours. After about an hour of cooking time, taste the broth for seasoning before serving.
Tips & Tricks
You can use onions in raw, browned, or caramelized form, but choosing the latter will result in more flavor. Make sure to use yellow onion instead of white because it has a milder taste, so it will not affect the dish’s flavor. You can also add onions in the beginning when you are frying the beef cubes with flour before adding all vegetables for consistency purposes.
Are you looking for something to serve with this soup apart from croutons and cheese? Try boiled potatoes, pasta, or rice.
FAQs about Soupe à l’oignon
– What type of beef works best for this recipe?
This recipe is best made with blade steak because it’s a more brutal cut that releases collagen into the soup, tenderizing the meat.
– How many calories per serving?
Calories: 184 kcal
– How many servings are in each batch?
Each serving makes about 8 cups. The recipe yields about eight servings.
#2. Coq au vin
We have had the pleasure of eating French food more than once. We have loved it every time. One dish that stands out was Coq au vin, which is made with wine and chicken broth, along with onions, mushrooms, bacon or salt pork (though this type of meat is optional), herbs like thyme and bay leaves, allspice berries, or whole cloves, peppercorns and either prunes or raisins.
The flavor will be even better if you use a Burgundy wine instead of another type. You can also add some carrots for added color and some celery stalks to make it savory. Finally, there are shallots that you can fry in butter until they are browned before you add the other ingredients. This will give a more robust taste to your dish, one which we loved very much.
When you put all this together in a crockpot or similar saucepan, you get a fantastic aroma that will make you wait for it to finish cooking and serve it hot on top of some mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken portions (breasts or thighs)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 slices bacon or salt pork (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups red wine (such as Burgundy) or 3/4 cup red wine and 3/4 cup chicken broth.
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 bouquet garni (thyme, a bay leaf, and a few whole cloves – drop them into boiling water for a minute or two before adding to the pot) or a pinch of allspice berries and a few whole black peppercorns
- 4 shallots, finely chopped
- 3/4 cups canned prune juice
- 1 cup canned pitted dark French prunes (optional), halved. If you don’t have this in your pantry, add half a cup of raisins to the mix instead.
Directions
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the chicken portions, onion, garlic, and bacon or salt pork until browned. Drain any excess fat from the skillet. Add red wine, tomato paste, seasonings, and onion mixture to a crockpot. Stir well. Place chicken pieces on top of this mixture, then add prune juice. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Add the prunes (or raisins) 10 minutes before serving.
Discard the bouquet garni. Serve hot over mashed potatoes or cooked rice.
Tips & Tricks
Add a bit of sugar or honey to your dish if you like it sweet. You can also add some carrots for added color and some celery stalks to make it savory. Finally, there are shallots that you can fry in butter until they are browned before adding the other ingredients.
FAQs about Coq au vin
– Can you freeze Coq au vin?
If you want to save it for a few days, try freezing it after step 3. This will give the chicken time to fully absorb all of the flavors of the wine and herbs and become tender. You can then defrost it and heat it through step 4 (cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7-8 hours). Add the prunes (or raisins) 10 minutes before serving.
– How do you serve Coq au vin?
Serve it over mashed potatoes or cooked rice. You can also try serving it on a bed of noodles. Either way, it is delicious either way.
– What is the origin of Coq au vin?
The dish was first created by French cooks in the Burgundy region. It is believed that this name was given to it because they used to call chicken “coqs.” This recipe has since become famous for its deep flavors and tender meat. Enjoy!
#3. Cassoulet
A cassoulet is a hearty, baked casserole originating in France. This dish is traditionally prepared with pork, sausage, lamb or duck confit, white beans, and various vegetables. The dish originated in the city of Toulouse, which remains one of the most important places for its production. The Toulouse kitchen has developed its recipe for cassoulet with specifications on the kind of bean.
There are many variations of the dish that vary according to the region and taste preference. Different regions produce their variations on cassoulet dishes that vary according to regional cuisine and traditions. There are several other cooking methods, but each includes the preparation of meat, beans, and vegetables.
The meats used in cassoulet dishes include duck, bacon, pig’s feet, or ham hock. The meats are cooked separately before being added to the casserole dish with white beans. The beans are usually dried cannellini beans, but other beans such as lima or flageolet may also be used.
The meats and vegetables vary by region and taste preference, but the most common meats include duck, goose, pork, and mutton. Common vegetables include peas and carrots. Casseroles of this type are usually cooked slowly in an oven for several hours.
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 servings
- 2 slices of bacon, cut into 1/2 inch lardons
- 1-ounce salt pork or ham in one piece, rind removed (optional), cut into 1/4 inch dice
- 4 pounds fresh cranberry or Borlotti beans in the pod, shelled
- 1 1/2 quarts chicken stock
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- Aluminum foil to cover the beans, plus a sheet of parchment paper
Directions
Soak the beans overnight in cold water, then drain and put into a large saucepan with fresh water to cover them by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Drain well and set aside—Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 C).
Rub the inside of a large earthenware casserole with the garlic cloves and place the bacon lardons and salt pork or ham in one piece over them. Add the soaked dried beans and pour in enough stock to cover completely. Bring to a boil on top of the stove, then cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Cover and bake in the oven for 3 hours or until tender.
Remove from the oven and stir, then replace the cover and let stand overnight. The next day, spoon off as much fat as possible from the surface of the beans. If necessary, warm through on top of the stove before serving. Melt a knob of butter in a frying pan and fry the diced salt pork or ham until crisp.
Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind, add the bacon lardons, and cook for 5 minutes. Sprinkle over the cassoulet before serving.
Tips & Tricks
Use salt pork rather than bacon lardons if you don’t have any bacon available. The dish is usually served with baguette or crusty bread for dipping in the sauce. Cassoulet can be made up to three days ahead and reheated, adding some stock if necessary to bring it back to its original consistency.
FAQs about Cassoulet
– Is it possible to use another kind of bean instead of the flageolet beans?
Yes, you can replace them with red kidney beans or chickpeas. Flageolets are creamy beans, but other types are also good in cassoulet.
– Can I make this dish without any meat?
Yes, simply omit the meat and use vegetable stock instead of chicken. You can also replace the salt pork with a nice slice of smoked tofu, then fry this before returning it to the casserole.
– Which type of meat is best for cassoulet?
As long as you have good sausages and confit or slow-cooked duck legs, your cassoulet will always be well received.
Conclusion
There are many different types of French food, from traditional fare to the latest trends. While Parisians have been known for their haute cuisine, other regions have developed their regional specialties over time which are just as delicious. French food is famous worldwide, and people can’t wait to taste these classic dishes in person.
Though a bit difficult because of the many ingredients needed to cook it, it is worth the trouble. The taste of this food is excellent and very delicious. Almost everyone loves French food. So that’s all about French Food. Thank you for reading this article.
