Author Archives: Meg

Purée d’amandes

When I was lunching at the Paris restaurant Spring last week, the main course — roast guinea fowl — was served with something hard to identify. It was satiny and pure white, and tasted ambrosial in a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth sort … Continue reading

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Sauté de veau

Veal stewed gently in wine, infused with garlic, tomato and herbs, and served with a touch of cream — this supremely French invention is far from the stews of my childhood. I first tasted it in the 1970s at the … Continue reading

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Sole meunière

In her book My Life in France, Julia Child gives a rapturous account of her first encounter with French cuisine: sole meunière for lunch at a restaurant in Normandy. ‘The flesh of the sole was delicate, with a light but … Continue reading

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Soupe à l’oignon gratinée

Just how French is French onion soup? It clearly originated here in France, and became famous as a midnight snack at the huge Les Halles market in central Paris until the Baltard Pavilions were torn down in 1971 to make … Continue reading

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Assiette de crudités

Let’s get one thing straight right from the start: there is nothing crude about crudités. This lovely fresh vegetable plate — my all-time favorite starter — is the dish I most long for whenever I’m away from France for a … Continue reading

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Risotto à la trévise

When I first tasted risotto al radicchio I was dining alone in Venice and chose it almost at random from a menu with many other dishes that were unknown to me. Bitter red salad with rice? Why not, I thought, … Continue reading

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Courge butternut rôtie aux pignons

Butternut squash is a relative newcomer to Paris. When I moved here in the 1970s I encountered it rarely, if ever. But now it has acquired star power at some of the finest tables in town. I tasted it most … Continue reading

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Truffes au chocolat

Why are these sinfully elegant and delightful chocolates called truffles? They take their name from the just as sinfully elegant black truffle, which grows under oak trees, must be uncovered by pigs or dogs and has at various moments cost … Continue reading

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Saumon mariné à la russe

With the end-of-year holidays approaching, this Russian-French version of gravalax makes a fine festive dish. The salmon is marinated overnight in salt and sugar — et voilà, it’s ready. Although I enjoyed this dish many times while working in Russia, … Continue reading

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Coq au vin

The rooster is the French national bird, an unofficial symbol of Gallic pride, virility and, well, cockiness. Does this make coq au vin the French national dish? Not necessarily, although it’s certainly a contender. Coq au vin is most often … Continue reading

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