French cuisine rich in taste is one of the national treasures. The secrets of the best dishes are passed down from generation to generation, acquiring new variations and flavors.
The Best Classic French Food for Your Holiday and Daily Menu
Features of national cuisines depend on unique recipes and special cooking techniques. France has succeeded in many areas of life, including cooking. French cuisine is an essential part of its rich cultural heritage that has spread throughout the world. Therefore, when tourists visit this beautiful country, they try as many national dishes as they can. And French restaurants that open in other countries become some of the most popular places to visit among gourmets and ordinary people. What do people eat in France? Get to know the most iconic dishes of French cuisine that inspire those who try them. Perhaps some of them will become your favorites, and you will even learn how to cook them in your kitchen.
Onion Soup
The family of French soups is diverse, but onion soup is one of the most recognizable and beloved in the world. Its peculiarity is in the delicious cheese or bread crust that covers this soup. Although its recipe is simple and accessible to anyone, legend says it was invented by Louis XV back in the 18th century. Traditional onion soup is cooked in beef broth. But if you take chicken, turkey, or any other meat, it will be no less lovely. Vegetarians can make onion soup in mushroom or vegetable broth.
The onion must first be fried in a frying pan until it becomes golden brown. Then, if desired, you can add white wine and evaporate it for 2-3 minutes. Combine the fried onions and broth, put croutons on the top and sprinkle the soup with cheese. Bake it in the oven for 5-8 minutes to melt the cheese and create a delicious crust.
Bouillabaisse
The Mediterranean coast of France gave the world such a delicious fish soup as Bouillabaisse. Today, this rich multi-component soup is served even in the most expensive restaurants for 150-200 euros. But it has its origins in the usual dish of village fishermen. And the combination of different types of fish in the soup is explained not by the desire to diversify the taste of food. Fishermen put to this soup any fish that they could not sell at the market during the day. This also determined the numerous variations of Bouillabaisse soup because its taste depends on the types of fish you will use to cook it.
Today, restaurant chefs usually select 6–9 types of fish for preparation. But one component remains unchanged — fish bone broth. It gives the soup a special taste and makes the dish extremely healthy. Therefore, if you eat it regularly, you will learn the secrets of quickly restoring physical strength and energy from Marseille fishermen.
Escargot de Bourgogne
Snails are a unique dish in the French kitchen because snails are not perceived as food in many nations. The roots of eating these mollusks go back to the Middle Ages when strict fasting was an important part of the lives of monks and ordinary people. The ban on meat dishes during fasting did not apply to frogs or snails. That is why they became an important part of the diet of the inhabitants of France. Over the past centuries, they invented different recipes for cooking escargot. The most popular dish is cooked from Burgundy snails, which are served in shells with garlic butter and parsley.
Moules Marinière
France has a long coastal zone due to access to two seas, the Atlantic Ocean and the English Channel. Therefore, its fish cuisine is extremely rich. One of the greatest delicacies is Moules marinière. They are prepared with white wine, which perfectly emphasizes the taste of mussel meat. Moules marinière is a nourishing and extremely healthy dish due to high-quality proteins and phosphatides. The moule in wine is cooked with the addition of cherry tomatoes, garlic, shallots, thyme and butter. This dish is served in deep plates without removing the mussels from their shells. This restaurant-style French food can become the central treat at your family or friendly parties, causing many positive emotions and pleasant responses.
Coq au Vin
The French are big gourmets not only in food but also in wine. So, they know that even the most ordinary dish can be qualitatively enriched with the help of wine. Try cooking a rooster in wine, and you will understand why French cuisine is considered one of the most luxurious in the world. This dish called Coq au vin was originally invented as an effective way to cook the meat of an old rooster, which is tough enough and requires a long cooking time. But you do not have to look for an old rooster in supermarkets today, because this recipe is even tastier with an ordinary chicken. To stew a rooster in wine, the French add many other ingredients:
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Garlic
- Bacon, etc.
The choice of wine brand also affects the taste of the dish, so you can experiment with different local wines. Some gourmets even prepare Coq au champagne, adding champagne instead of wine.
Ratatouille
Vegetarians will especially enjoy the Ratatouille, which is made from bright and tasty summer vegetables. The birthplace of Ratatouille is Provence, but you will find it everywhere in France ― from the most expensive hotel or restaurant to a street cafe. It is cooled from fresh vegetables which will be baked in the oven, such as:
- Zucchini
- Bell peppers
- Eggplant, etc.
To ensure the dish causes maximum admiration of guests, it must be perfectly cut and laid out in a baking dish. Since it is prepared using vegetables that do not lose their color from high temperatures, Ratatouille turns out bright and colorful. The basic set of spices are rosemary, cumin, mint, fennel, and basil. But if you want, you can add some spice to the dish with pepper. And then, it will be bright and hot.
Quiche Lorraine
A tasty pie with egg and cream came to French cuisine thanks to the culinary traditions of Lorraine. The classic recipe includes bacon and puff pastry, but you can use many variations of this dish. For example, instead of bacon, you can put chicken, salmon, mushrooms or vegetables. The variability of the filling makes each pie unique. Therefore, if you invite friends to the Quiche Lorraine party, its filling can remain an intrigue until the very moment the dish is served on the table.
The creamy filling remains unchanged in all recipes, which gives the dish a delicate taste. One of its advantages is that it has an excellent taste hot and cold. Therefore, if you are going on a picnic in the countryside, Quiche Lorraine will be a great alternative to traditional snacks, which will not surprise anyone.
Roasted Chestnuts
If you visit Paris in autumn, roasted chestnuts will always remind you of this city. The French people love chestnuts and cook them in a variety of ways. These can be first dishes such as soups, side dishes, as well as sweet souffle, jam, or candied chestnuts. But the most popular are roasted chestnuts, which are cooked right on the streets. They taste like baked potatoes and go well with mulled wine, Norman cider, and other young wines of the new harvest. Roasted chestnuts are an excellent source of vegetable protein, so including them in your menu will diversify and enrich your diet with nutrients. But just keep in mind that not all chestnuts are suitable for preparing this dish ― edible ones. Therefore, you should not experiment with chestnuts that can be found in the park.
Tarte Tatin
Apple pies exist in many national cuisines due to their delicate taste. However, in France, they are special in taste and appearance. Chefs bake steamed apples with caramelized sugar, which is quite exotic in comparison with similar pies. It is better to caramelize the apples in advance, stewing them for 20 minutes in sugar. The second feature of Tarte Tatin is that you do not lay out the apples on the dough but rather cover them with dough. And when the pie is ready, turn it over and get a delicious pie with dark amber apples. Whipped cream or custard goes well with the taste of apples and serves as a wonderful addition to Tarte Tatin.
Chocolate Souffle
A light dessert with chocolate flavor is the perfect complement to morning coffee. The French often drink coffee with chocolate, so if you offer your guests a chocolate souffle, they will be delighted. Moreover, the list of ingredients for preparing this exquisite dish is simple. It includes the most common products that can be found in any kitchen:
- Butter
- Flour
- Chocolate
- Egg
- Sugar
- Salt
- Spices, cinnamon, powdered sugar, or citrus zest
Chocolate souffle is often served with strawberry, cream, or a scoop of ice cream. So, if you want to impress your guests, add these delicious components.
The Bottom Line
The culinary expertise of the French is second to none. That is why you can endlessly discover the merits of its soups, meat and fish dishes, salads, pies, desserts, etc. Moreover, many dishes are served with some special sauce or wine. They play an important role in the overall flavor bouquet. Having tried the top 10 French dishes from this article in France, you will certainly want to cook them at home. And you will succeed because the recipes for most of them were born not amid luxury but in village houses in different parts of France. By preparing any of these dishes for a holiday, you will conquer all your guests with your culinary skills. And be sure — the list of masterpieces of French cuisine is endless, so you will have an extremely wide space for experiments.
Tatyana Ryzhova
