french comfort food

Chicken chasseur is the classic French dish that's easy but good enough to give to guests. Serve it with creamy mash and a crisp green salad.

Chicken chasseur

salt and black pepper

flour

olive oil

butter

110 grams/4 ounces smoked streaky bacon,

150 grams/5½oz button mushrooms

shallots

caster sugar

175 milliliters/6fl oz white wine

300 milliliters/10fl oz chicken stock

tomato purée

tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped

tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

milliliters/4fl oz full fat milk

Welsh rarebit is relocated to Cornwall via the choice of cheese and then given the French treatment. There’s also a very British secret ingredient that makes all the difference!

This recipe makes a lot of yeast extract butter. It can be kept until the use by date on the packet of butter. You can also reduce the amount  to make less, if you don't want to reserve it for later.


Croque madame

150 milliliters/5fl oz full-fat milk

breadcrumbs

tbsp English mustard powder

free-range eggs

Worcestershire sauce

salt and white pepper

tbsp yeast extract

250 grams/9 ounces salted butter,

lemon juice

sourdough bread

salted butter

grams/1¾oz sundried tomatoes, chopped

vegetable oil

eggs

baby pickled gherkins

Try serving this French-style cheesy potato bake with pickled onions, gherkins and charcuterie.

Tartiflette

Charlotte potatoes, peeled

bacon lardons

garlic

milliliters/3½fl oz white wine

200 milliliters/7fl oz double cream

sea salt and black pepper

Reblochon cheese (about 450 grams/1lb), sliced

Any leftovers from this makes really good beef ragù – just shred the beef and cook it down with some tomatoes.

Equipment: You will need to small patches of muslin to make the bouquet garnis.


Boeuf en daube provençale

beef

salt,

onions,

carrots,

celery,

garlic cloves, finely chopped

red wine

milliliters/3½fl oz brandy

milliliters/2fl oz red wine vinegar

bay leaves

thyme

parsley

pared orange zest

cloves

tsp black peppercorns

x 4cm/1½in pieces cinnamon stick

bacon

onion, finely chopped

600 milliliters/20fl oz beef stock

grams/5½oz black olives

300 grams/10½oz red camargue rice, cooked according to packet instructions

Cassoulet is a hearty dish but with a few little tweaks we’ve reduced the calorie count while keeping the big flavours. Choose really meaty sausages and gammon, take the skin off the chicken and use a very small amount of oil – it all helps. 
464 calories per portion.


Our special cassoulet

½ tsp sunflower oil

sausages, at least 85% meat

celery

carrots

boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 450 grams/1lb)

garlic cloves, crushed

tomatoes

150 milliliters/5fl oz red wine (or water)

tsp caster sugar

tsp dried chilli flakes

bay leaf

400 grams/14 ounces can cannellini beans

400 grams/14 ounces can butter beans

black pepper

½ large orange, zest only, finely grated

A delicious and traditional French cassoulet recipe is slow cooked with white beans, duck confit, Toulouse sausage, and pork shoulder to make a rich and comforting meal.

Traditional French Cassoulet (French Bean Stew)

(2 ½ cups) white beans

duck legs (confit)

(10 oz) Toulouse sausage

(1 lb) pork shoulder

tbsp duck fat

onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 4 garlic cloves

bay leaves, 2 whole cloves

chicken stock

Soak the beans by placing 500g (2 ½ cups) of white beans in a large bowl. Cover them completely with water and let them soak overnight. This softens the beans and reduces cooking time.

Drain the soaked beans and transfer them to a large pot. Add 2 bay leaves, 2 whole cloves, and a peeled onion to infuse flavor. Cover with fresh water and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 1 hour or until the beans are tender but not mushy. Drain and set aside.

In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of duck fat over medium heat. Add 500g (1 lb) of pork shoulder and 300g (10 oz) of Toulouse sausage. Sear them until they develop a deep golden-brown crust, then remove and set aside.

In the same pot, place the duck confit legs skin-side down. Cook until the skin turns crispy and golden, then remove and set aside with the other meats.

Using the same Dutch oven, add 1 chopped onion, 2 diced carrots, 2 celery stalks, and 4 minced garlic cloves. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables soften and release their aroma.

Pour in 1 cup (240ml) of chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pot with a spoon to lift all the flavorful browned bits.

Return the browned pork, sausage, and duck confit to the pot. Add the cooked beans on top, then pour in enough additional chicken stock to fully submerge all the ingredients.

Reduce the heat to low and let the cassoulet simmer gently for 1 hour. This step helps the flavors blend together before baking.

Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F) while the cassoulet is still simmering.

Transfer the Dutch oven to the oven and bake for 2 hours without a lid. Stir occasionally to encourage the formation of the cassoulet’s signature crust.

For an authentic finish, stop stirring during the last 30 minutes of baking to allow a deep golden crust to form on top. This crust is an essential feature of a traditional cassoulet.

This traditional French stew has very tender, slow braised beef in a rich red wine sauce with aromatic herbs and vegetables. Perfect for comforting meals or elegant dinner parties.

Traditional Provencal Beef Stew (Beef Daube) Recipe

salt

½ tsp black pepper

onion, diced

garlic cloves,

celery stalks, diced

tomato paste

(500 milliliters) red wine

beef broth

rosemary

(150 grams) baby carrots

(150 grams) mushrooms, halved

pearl onions (optional)

Prepare Beef

Trim and cut beef into cubes. Season with salt and pepper.

Sear

Brown beef in batches in a Dutch oven with olive oil. Set aside.

Sauté Vegetables

Cook onion, garlic, and celery. Stir in tomato paste.

Deglaze

Add red wine and scrape the pot. Add beef broth and herbs.

Braise

Combine beef, carrots, and mushrooms. Cover and bake at 325°F (165°C) for 2 ½–3 hours.

Serve

Top 8 french comfort food recipes from across the web

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Chicken chasseur

Croque madame

Tartiflette

Boeuf en daube provençale

Our special cassoulet

Traditional French Cassoulet (Frenc...

Traditional Provencal Beef Stew (Be...

Traditional Provencal Beef Stew (Be...

Top 8 french comfort food recipes from across the web

The most viewed french comfort food recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Chicken chasseur

Croque madame

Tartiflette

Boeuf en daube provençale

Our special cassoulet

Traditional French Cassoulet (Frenc...

Traditional Provencal Beef Stew (Be...

Traditional Provencal Beef Stew (Be...

The most viewed french comfort food recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine