Whether you’re channeling your inner Julia Child or just here for the cheese, these French-inspired dishes are perfect for Bastille Day on 14 July. 

French toast Croque madame  

Serves 4 // Cooking time: 20 minutes 

Ingredients 

4 eggs
3 Tbsp milk or cream
Salt and pepper
8 slices bread
2 Tbsp vegetable oil 

For the béchamel 

2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
1½ cups milk  

To assemble 

4 slices ham
4 eggs, poached
Rocket (to serve) 

Method 

For the French toast 

1. Whisk together the eggs, milk or cream, salt and pepper. Dip each slice of bread in the egg mixture until it is evenly soaked.
2. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.
3. Fry the bread for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden brown.

For the béchamel 

1. Melt the butter in a heavy-based pot, then remove from the heat and stir in the flour, mustard, salt and pepper until smooth.
2. Gradually add the milk, stirring until the sauce is smooth. Return the pot to the hob over low heat for 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

To assemble 

1. Sandwich a slice of ham and a poached egg between two slices of French toast and top with béchamel.
2. Grill for 5 minutes until the béchamel is bubbling and golden. Serve with rocket.

Easy-to-make French tartiflette 

Serves 10  // Total time: 40 minutes 

Ingredients

1.7kg potatoes, peeled 
500g diced bacon 
¼ cup butter 
1½ onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced 
⅓ cup white wine 
1 cup sour cream 
2½ cups cream 
500g Brie cheese, sliced
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper 

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Place the potatoes in the pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 10–15 minutes or until potatoes are easily pierced with a knife but not falling apart. Remove from the heat, drain, and set aside until cool enough to handle. Cut the potatoes into 1 cm rounds and set aside.
2. Heat a pan over a high heat. Cook the bacon until browned. Drain the bacon and set aside. Lower the heat to a medium heat and in the same pan add the butter. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until golden brown. Add the bacon and wine and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Combine the sour cream and cream together in a bowl. Add the bacon and potatoes and mix to coat.
4. Place half of the potato mix in a 2-litre ovenproof dish. Spread half the cheese slices on top of the potato. Cover this with the other half of the potato mixture. Top with the remainder of the cheese. Bake in the hot oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling. Season and serve hot.

Styling: Jezza-Rae Larsen, Sjaan van der Ploeg & Kirsty Buchanan
Photography: Callen Jefferson/hmimages.co.za 

Boeuf Bourguignon 

Serves 6–8  // Total time: 3 hour 15 minutes 

Ingredients 

2 Tbsp olive oil 
200g bacon, roughly chopped 
1½kg stewing beef, cut into chunks 
1 carrot, peeled and sliced 
1 onion, finely chopped 
6 garlic cloves 
2 Tbsp flour 
8 baby onions 
1 cup red wine 
3 cups beef stock 
2 Tbsp tomato paste 
3 Fresh thyme sprigs, finely chopped 
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped 
2 bay leaves 
2 Tbsp butter 
175g small white or brown mushrooms, halved or whole  

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-based pot. Cook the bacon over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until crisp and browned. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large dish and set aside.
3. Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. In the same pot, sear the beef in batches until browned on all sides. Remove from the pot and add to the bacon.
4. In the same pot, cook the carrots and onions until softened. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute. Return the bacon and beef back into the pot and season. Sprinkle with flour, toss well and cook for 4–5 minutes to brown.
5. Add the baby onions, wine and stock so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste and herbs. Bring to a simmer on the stove. Cover and transfer into the oven and simmer for 2–3 hours, or until the meat is tender
6. Heat the butter in a pan over a high heat. Add the remaining 2 cloves garlic and cook until fragrant. Add in the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Season well. Add the mushrooms to the beef and stir.
7. Serve the Boeuf Bourguignon garnished with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes or rice.

Classic crème brûlée 

Serves 8// Cooking time: 15 minutes // Chill time: 2 hours 

Ingredients 

1L cream
1½ cups sugar
4 egg yolks
1 vanilla pod (seeds removed) or 2 tsp vanilla essence
2½ sachets (25 g) gelatine 

Method 

1. Whisk together cream, 1 cup sugar, egg yolks and vanilla in a large pot.
2. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a light simmer.
3. Sprinkle the gelatine over the mixture. Cook over medium heat, whisking, until combined.
4. Pour into a 20cm tart dish and place in the fridge to set for 2 hours.
5. To serve, sprinkle remaining ½ cup sugar over the top and use a blowtorch to melt it until golden and crisp (or place it briefly under the grill).

The post French-inspired dishes to celebrate Bastille Day  appeared first on MyKitchen.

Easy-peasy French pastries made affordable and delectable. 

Tarte au citron (Lemon tart) 

SERVES 4-6 

For the all lemon lovers out there! Reduce the sugar for a tangier result. 

Ingredients 

1 roll (400g) shortcrust pastry, defrosted 
1 lemon, zested and juiced 
3 lemons, juiced (1 cup juice total) 
¾ cup (150g) castor sugar 
125g bu er, cut into cubes 
4 eggs Edible flowers (optional)  

FOR THE CANDIED LEMON SLICES  

1 cup sugar 
1 cup water 
2 lemons, sliced 

Method 

1. Grease a 23cm round loose-bottomed tart tin. 
2. Roll the pastry out into a circle large enough to fi t up the sides of the tin. 
3. Press pastry into the base and sides of tin, prick base all over with a fork. Freeze for 20 minutes. 
4. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
5. Cover base of pastry with baking paper and add rice or beans to weigh down. 
6. Bake for 12 minutes, remove paper and beans and bake for another 4-6 minutes, until golden. Remove and cool. 
7. For the lemon curd, add the lemon zest, juice, sugar and butter to a pot over medium-low heat. 
8. Whisk the mixture until sugar has dissolved and butter is melted, then add eggs and whisk to combine. 
9. Increase heat to a gentle simmer and whisk until the mixture is thickened, about 10-15 minutes. Do not overheat as you will scramble the eggs. 
10. Pass the lemon curd through a fine mesh sieve into a jug to remove any unwanted specks of egg or lemon seeds.
11. Pour curd into tart base, smooth over with a spatula. 
12. Bake tart for 5 minutes, then remove and cool completely before refrigerating for 3 hours. 
13. For the candied lemon slices, add the sugar and water to a pot and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. 
14. Add the lemon slices to the boiling mixture and cook for about 15 minutes, until translucent.
15. Remove and drain on a wire rack until cool.
16. Remove the tart from mould and place on a serving plate.
17. Decorate with candied lemon slices and edible flowers, then slice to serve.

Cook’s note 
Cooking your lemon curd with a few lemon seeds will aid in creating a stable consistency as the seeds contain pectin, a natural thickening agent.  

Basil pesto palmiers 

MAKES 20 

A pop of savoury in between the sweet goes down a treat. Swap out the basil pesto for sun-dried tomato pesto, or add grated Cheddar for a saltier punch. 

Ingredients 

1 packet (400g) puff pastry, defrosted 
4-5 Tbsp (60-75g) basil pesto, plus extra to serve 
1 clove garlic, grated 
½ packet (20g) grated Parmesan, plus extra 1 egg, whisked   

Method 

1. Unroll the pastry on a flavoured surface and use a rolling pin to work it into a 2mm, even rectangle. 
2. Spread pesto and garlic evenly over pastry surface. 
3. Sprinkle evenly with the grated Parmesan. 
4. Starting at the one long side, tightly fold inward toward the centre of the pastry until halfway. Fold the other long side inward until the two rolls meet up and form a log. 
5. Brush the log where the two folds will meet with the egg wash and press together to seal. Halve the pastry. 
6. Slice the pastry log in half, wrap both in clingfilm and freeze for 20 minutes, until firm. 
7. Preheat oven to 200°C. 
8. Remove clingfilm and slice pastry into 1cm-thick discs using a sharp knife. 
9. Place on a lined baking tray and brush with egg. 
10. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden and crispy. 
11. Arrange the palmiers on a serving tray, sprinkle with extra Parmesan and serve with extra pesto, if you like. 

Cook’s note 
These can be made a few days in advance. Follow the steps below to form the pastry and slice into discs before freezing in an airtight container. To cook, brush frozen palmiers with egg and bake at 200°C.  

Fool’s pain au chocolat  

MAKES 10 

Experiment with your favourite chocolate, or try dark chocolate for a deeper flavour.   

Ingredients 

1 roll (400g) puff pastry, defrosted 
4 bar one chocolates (52g each), sliced into 3 lengthways 
2 eggs, whisked 
3 Tbsp milk

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. 
2. Roll out pastry to 2mm thick, trim the edges to create a clean rectangle. 
3. Halve the pastry lengthways, then divide into 10 smaller rectangles. 
4. Place a piece of chocolate along the end width of one rectangle, roll over to enclose and add another, taking care to seal the edges as you roll (this keeps the chocolate secured inside). In total, add 2-3 pieces of the chocolate to each pastry sheet. 
5. Brush the end fold with the egg and seal. Repeat with the remaining pastry and chocolate.
6. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. 
7. Place the pastries on a lined baking tray a few centimetres apart from each other. 
8. Mix the egg and milk in a bowl. Brush pastry surfaces evenly with mixture. 
9. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn heat down to 180°C and bake for another 10 minutes until golden and puffed. 
10. To serve, dust with icing sugar and enjoy.

Cook’s note
You can alter the size of these pastries by placing the chocolate along the length of the pastry instead of the width. This will help create a wider, thicker pain au chocolat. 

Honey, peach and cinnamon galette  

SERVES 6 

Use any stone fruit you have at home, slicing thinly to ensure the fruit is cooked through. 

Ingredients 

1 roll (400g) shortcrust pastry, defrosted 
1 egg, whisked  

FOR THE PEACH FILLING  

2 peaches, sliced into thin wedges
2 plums, sliced into thin wedges 
½ tsp vanilla essence 
1 Tbsp corn flour 
2 tsp ground cinnamon 
3 Tbsp brown sugar 
1 egg, whisked 
3 Tbsp butter, melted 

TO SERVE  

Honey, to drizzle 
Vanilla ice cream, optional 

Method 

1. Roll out the pastry into an oval, brush edge with egg and fold inward to create a 1-2cm border. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. 
2. Combine the fruit, vanilla, corn flour, cinnamon and 2 Tbsp sugar in a bowl, mix together with your hands to distribute the flour and spice evenly. 
3. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
4. Arrange the portions of sliced fruit together on the pastry, creating natural curves to fill up the space. 
5. Brush the pastry border with the egg and sprinkle with remaining sugar. 
6. Bake for 20 minutes, remove and brush fruit with melted butter, bake for another 10-15 minutes until pastry is golden and fruit is glistening. 
7. Remove and drizzle with honey before slicing and serving with a scoop of ice cream, if you like.

Local Twist Recipes & Styling: Sjaan Van Der Ploeg  
Photographs: Zhann Solomons 

Also read: Different pastries and how to use them

The post Easy-peasy French pastries  appeared first on MyKitchen.

If you’ve been wanting to brush up on your cooking vocabulary, look no further than this helpful glossary. 

French cooking techniques have influenced global cuisines for centuries and many chefs are still trained in these methods and taught how to make traditional French dishes today.  

Aioli
Pronunciation: AH-yoh-lee 

Aioli is an emulsion of garlic and olive oil. It has a similar texture to mayonnaise and is also used as a condiment but has a distinctly different flavour. 

Au gratin
Pronunciation: oh-grat-an 

Au gratin is used to describe any dish that is topped with cheese and breadcrumbs and baked in the oven. It’s typically used in potatoes au gratin, a rich dish of thinly sliced potatoes and cheese sauce. 

Bain-marie
Pronunciation: ban mah-REE 

A bain-marie (also known as a water bath or double-boiler) is commonly used to cook delicate foods such as custard, crème brulée and cheesecake, or to melt chocolate. It’s also used to keep food warm. 

Béchamel
Pronunciation: BAY-sha-mel 

Béchamel is a creamy white sauce made from milk that is whisked into a roux. Béchamel sauce is a vital layering ingredient of lasagne. 

Bisque
Pronunciation: bisk 

A bisque is a smooth, creamy soup, traditionally made using a stock made from shellfish, herbs and cream. 

Choux 
Pronunciation: shoo 

A choux is a light pastry dough typically used to make éclairs and profiteroles. It’s made by cooking flour with water and/or milk and butter, then mixing in eggs off heat to form a pipeable, spoonable consistency. 

Confit
Pronunciation: con-FEE 

Confit involves slowly cooking and preserving meat (often duck) in its own fat.   

Coulis
Pronunciation: koo-LEE 

A coulis is a smooth sauce made from puréed or strained fruit. It’s often used as a sauce for desserts or as a topping for cheesecake. 

Dégustation
Pronunciation: DAY-goo-stay-shun 

Dégustation is the French word for ‘tasting’. A dégustation menu is one that offers you multiple courses. You will often find this type of menu in fine-dining restaurants.  

(En) papillote
Pronunciation: on-poppy-YOTE 

This is a cooking method that involves wrapping food (usually white fish fillet, such as hake) in parchment paper and baking it. The packet traps steam, resulting in a delicately cooked meat. 

Julienne
Pronunciation: joo-lee-en 

This chopping technique involves cutting food (usually vegetables, such as carrots) into small, thin strips that resemble matchsticks.  

Jus
Pronunciation: zhoo 

A jus is a rich sauce made from the juices and drippings from a roast, typically beef. Unlike gravy, it is not thickened with flour but reduced (simmered) until it reaches a thick consistency. 

Mirepoix
Pronunciation: MEER-pwah 

A mirepoix is a mixture of aromatics, typically onions, celery and carrots, which are slowly cooked on a low heat to sweeten them. It forms the basis of many soups and stews and traditional Bolognese sauce.  

Roux
Pronunciation: roo 

This mixture of butter and flour forms the basis of béchamel sauce and is used as a thickening agent. 

Sauté
Pronunciation: saw-TAY 

A basic cooking method that involves frying vegetables such as onions in hot oil or butter on high heat. 

Sous vide 
Pronunciation: soo-veed 

This process involves vacuum-sealing food (usually meat) in a bag and cooking in a water bath at a stable temperature. 

Velouté
Pronunciation: ve-loo-tay 

Veloute is French for ‘velvety’. It’s a classic French sauce made from a light stock thickened with a roux. It is similar to béchamel but does not contain milk. 

The post French Cooking Terminologies to Add to Your Vocab appeared first on MyKitchen.

If you’re a fan of quality food and trying something new, then these French delicacies are a must-try!

Banoffee soufflé
SERVES 6–8  •  TOTAL TIME  25 min

Softened butter, to brush
Caster sugar ⅓ cup
Cocoa powder ⅓ cup

For the soufflé
Ripe bananas 2
Egg whites 5
Caster sugar 100 g
Cocoa, sifted, plus extra to dust ½ cup
Caramel sauce, to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Brush the insides of six 200 ml ovenproof ramekins with the softened butter. Sprinkle some caster sugar into each of the ramekins and swirl around to coat the base and sides. Tip out any excess. Repeat with some sifted cocoa powder.

For the SOUFFLÉ
1. Mash the bananas into a smooth puree. Set aside.
2. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks using an electric hand mixer. With the motor running, gradually add the sugar and continue mixing to form a thick, glossy meringue. Gently fold in the banana puree until combined.
3. Fill the ramekins to the brim with banana mixture, levelling off the top using a palette knife. Run your thumb and forefinger around the rim of each ramekin to create a slight indent around the sides of the pudding.
4. Bake the soufflés for 10–12 minutes until puffed and set.
5. Dust the soufflés with extra cocoa and serve immediately with the caramel sauce.
Top tip Preparing the ramekins with butter, sugar and cocoa is importantto help the soufflé to rise evenly.

Boeuf Bourguignon
SERVES 6–8  •  TOTAL TIME  3 hour 15 min

Olive oil 2 tbsp
Bacon, roughly chopped 200 g
Stewing beef, cut into chunks 1 ½ kg
Carrot, peeled and sliced 1
Onion, finely chopped 1
Garlic cloves 6
Flour 2 tbsp
Baby onions 8
Red wine 1 cup
Beef stock 3 cups
Tomato paste 2 tbsp
Fresh thyme sprigs, finely chopped 3
Fresh parsley, finely chopped 2 tbsp
Bay leaves 2
Butter 2 tbsp
Small white or brown mushrooms, halved or whole 175 g 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven or heavy-based pot. Cook the bacon over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until crisp and browned. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large dish and set aside.
3. Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. In the same pot, sear the beef in batches until browned on all sides. Remove from the pot and add to the bacon.
4. In the same pot, cook the carrots and onions until softened. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute. Return the bacon and beef back into the pot and season. Sprinkle with flour, toss well and cook for 4–5 minutes to brown.
5. Add the baby onions, wine and stock so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste and herbs. Bring to a simmer on the stove. Cover and transfer into the oven and simmer for 2–3 hours, or until the meat is tender
6. Heat the butter in a pan over a high heat. Add the remaining 2 cloves garlic and cook until fragrant. Add in the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Season well. Add the mushroom to the beef and stir.
7. Serve the Boeuf Bourguignon garnished with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes or rice.

Tartiflette (potato, bacon, cheese and white wine) – potato bake
SERVES 10  •  TOTAL TIME 40 min

Potatoes, peeled 1.7 kg
Diced bacon 500 g
Butter ¼ cup
Onions, thinly sliced 1 ½
Garlic clove, minced 2
White wine ⅓ cup
Sour cream 1 cup
Cream 2 ½ cups
Brie cheese, sliced 500 g
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1. Preheat the oven 180ºC. Place the potatoes in the pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over a medium heat and cook for 10–15 minutes or until potatoes are easily pierced with a knife, but not falling apart. Remove from the heat, drain, and set aside until cool enough to handle. Cut the potatoes into 1 cm rounds and set aside.
2. Heat a pan over a high heat. Cook the bacon until browned. Drain the bacon and set aside. Lower the heat to a medium heat and in the same pan add the butter. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until golden brown. Add the bacon and wine and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Combine the sour cream and cream together in a bowl. Add the bacon and potatoes and mix to coat.
4. Place half the potato mix in a 2-litre ovenproof dish. Spread half the cheese slices on top of the potato. Cover this with the other half of the potato mixture. Top with the remainder of the cheese. Bake in the hot oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling. Season and serve hot.

Salted honey and pear tarte tatin
SERVES 6–8  •  TOTAL TIME  1 hour 15 min

Roll frozen puff pastry, thawed 1
Butter 70 g
Caster sugar 70 g
Honey 70 g
Sea salt flakes ½ tsp
Small pears, peeled, halved lengthways, core removed 6–8
Walnuts, chopped 50 g
Zest from half an orange
Whipped cream, to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Unroll the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Trim and patch into a large square. Gently place a large ovenproof pan over the pastry and cut out a slightly bigger circle, using the pan as a guide. Prick the pastry all over with a fork and place on a lined tray in the fridge.
3. Melt the butter in the same pan. Sprinkle over the sugar and cook for 2 minutes or until it begins to dissolve, then stir in the honey and salt.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Place the pears in the pan cut-side up and cook for 30 minutes, turning halfway, until the sauce has reduced to a thick amber caramel. Shake the pan frequently to prevent the pears from catching and baste the pears in caramel.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and arrange the pears cut-side up in a neat circular pattern. Sprinkle over the walnuts and orange zest.
6. Place the pastry disc on top of the pears, tucking the edges into the sides of the pan.
7. Bake the tarte tatin for 20–25 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden. Set aside for 5 minutes, then carefully invert onto a plate.
8. Serve warm topped with whipped cream.

Styling: Jezza-Rae Larsen
Styling assistants: Sjaan van der ploeg & Kirsty Buchanan
Photography: Callen Jefferson/hmimages.co.za

It’s a party in the USA with these classic recipes inspired by American cuisine.

The post Cook Like A Local: French Inspired Food appeared first on MyKitchen.

Fancy but not too fancy is the classic crème brûlée. It’s relatively easy to make, and you can finish it off with a blow torch to impress your guests!

SERVES 8// COOK TIME 15 min// CHILL TIME 2 hours

INGREDIENTS
1 L cream
1½ cups sugar
4 egg yolks
1 vanilla pod (seeds removed) or 2 tsp vanilla essence
2½ sachets (25 g) gelatine

The post Classic crème brûlée appeared first on MyKitchen.

Carpaccio is traditionally made with meat or fish, but we opted for a meat-free option with this vegetable carpaccio and yoghurt dressing.

SERVES 8 // COOKING TIME 35 min, plus overnight

INGREDIENTS
5 radishes
2 golden beetroots
2 purple beetroots
½ cup white-wine vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
½ cup plain yoghurt
100 g goat’s cheese
4 tsp olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
¼ cup microherbs

METHOD
1. Using a mandolin if you have one, slice radishes and beetroots very thinly.
2. Whisk together the vinegar, sugar and salt. Pour this over the veggies and leave overnight, or for at least 1 hour.
3. Blitz together the yoghurt, goat’s cheese, oil and salt until smooth. Fold in the microherbs.
4. Arrange the vegetables on a platter and drizzle with dressing. Season with sea salt and garnish with more microherbs.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Keen to whip up more country-style French cooking? Try our classic French onion soup.

The post Vegetable carpaccio with yoghurt dressing appeared first on MyKitchen.