About French Food

Banana Tarte Tatin Recipe

2009-07-11T09:30:44Z

This banana tarte tatin recipe is an easy dessert to make on short notice. Ripe bananas are always in season and frozen puff pastry can be found in most major grocery stores. Pull the puff pastry out to thaw while you slice bananas and simmer the rum sauce. Best of all, this recipe is very forgiving. If you simply have no time to make homemade French rum sauce, use store-bought caramel sauce kicked up with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Bon appetit!

Banana Tart Photo: ©Flickr user dizznbonn

Roasted Pepper Boursin Cheese Recipe

2009-07-10T09:30:48Z

Fresh cheese spread gets an updated flavor in this roasted pepper Boursin cheese recipe. The cheese is dressed up with smashed garlic, fresh herbs, and jarred roasted red peppers. This elegant appetizer is so easy to whip up and spread on toasted baguettes right before a last-minute gathering. Bon appetit!

Herbed Goat Cheese on Mushrooms Photo: ©Kok Robin

Fresh Nectarine Tart Recipe

2009-07-09T10:31:15Z

Nectarines make up nearly half of all peach cultivars in France and the majority are from the scenic Rhone Valley. Given their popularity and unique refreshing flavor, it's no mystery why they're the focus of so many summer-themed recipes. This fresh nectarine tart recipe takes a few hours and three simple steps - pastry, custard, and fruit topping - to create an exceptionally elegant and scrumptious dessert. Bon appetit!

Fresh Nectarine Tart Photo: ©Flickr user FrettingDetails

Spinach Souffl� Recipe

2009-07-08T09:30:20Z

This spinach soufflé recipe is a wonderful way to use up the fresh summer harvest. It�s a lovely, easy preparation that can be served as a side dish or a light main course. If you want to get really creative, bake up the spinach-egg mixture in tiny ramekins for an unexpected appetizer. However you serve it, this soufflé is likely to be a delicious winner and instant classic in your household. Bon appetit!

Spinach Soufflé Photo: ©Rebecca Franklin

Montelimar Style Nougat Recipe

2009-07-07T09:30:27Z

This nougat blanc recipe is a classic Montelimar-style candy. Nougat de Montelimar is specifically protected by an AOC, or controlled term of origin. The famous candy must hail from the city in southeastern France and contain a certain percentage of almonds, honey, and pistachios, all of the highest quality, to be considered authentic. This recipe meets the ingredients standard, and although you may not be sitting in Montelimar right now, you can whip up a delicious batch of the low-fat candy in your own kitchen!

Montelimar Style White Nougat Photo: ©Gaetan Lee

Millas Recipe

2009-07-06T11:50:49Z

For such a simple food, the making of this millas recipe has been a meticulous process for many centuries. Cornmeal must be sprinkled across the surface of boiling water and stirred continuously while it cooked. The process isn't hard, but one mustn't stop stirring the mixture. Even a short break can result in unevenly cooked lumps in the fine cornmeal paste. Serve the fried millas as a savory, salted side dish or dusted with sugar for a rustic dessert. Bon appetit!

Millas Photo: Jeffrey Bary

Lobster in Calvados Butter Recipe

2009-07-02T09:30:46Z

French apple brandy gives a special flavor to braised lobster meat in this lobster in Calvados butter recipe. This refined dish is exceptionally easy to make; simply bake petite lobsters and butter in the oven, adding Calvados and a pinch of sugar halfway through the cooking process. The scrumptious, unexpected combination of ingredients make it a sure-fire success for special occasions. Bon appetit!

Lobster in Calvados Butter Photo: Tom Mascardo

Recipes from Beautiful Martinique

2009-07-01T09:30:11Z

Heavy sauces, rich chocolate, and fine wine usually come to mind when thinking of classic French recipes. Put those notions aside for just a moment, and conjure up images of kicking back on a sugar sand beach, rum cocktail in hand, inhaling the warm trade winds of a tropical ocean. France probably doesn�t come to mind, but Martinique is an overseas department of the country.

A small island in the southeastern Caribbean Sea, it�s also home to a magical blend of proper French and tropical Creole cuisines. To add a bit of tropical magic to a weeknight meal, make easy balsamic peppers. They�re incredibly simple to prepare and add a nice dash of color to your menu. The fact that the balsamic glaze paired with lightly sautéed bell peppers is so healthy is almost an aside. Bon appetit!

More delicious recipes from Martinique!

Balsamic Peppers Photo: Lyn Belisle

Easy Weeknight Meal

2009-06-30T09:30:09Z

This meal puts a sophisticated French twist on the classic meat and potatoes family pleaser. What could be better than roasted, herbed potatoes, seasoned carrots, and steak with Cognac sauce? Follow it with a homemade dark chocolate torte and you have your own family favorite!

Hint: Although the chocolate torte recipe calls for a homemade fruit coulis, you can easily use a little heated jam as a fine substitute.

Steak au Poivre Photo: Clint Rankin

Herbes de Provence Recipe

2009-06-29T09:30:00Z

Herbes de Provence is a classic herb blend using fresh or dried herbs. Very popular in the Mediterranean South of France, it is used to season everything from soups to grilled chicken. This traditional version uses lavender. Although purists will argue against the exclusion of the herb, one absolutely can omit it from this recipe and still have a delicious and authentic Provencal herb blend. Bon appetit!

Fresh Herbes de Provence Photo: Amanda Wray