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In Foolproof French Cookery, and its paperback edition, Simple French Cookery, Raymond Blanc demystifies French cuisine and demonstrates how enjoyable the simple, creative act of cookery can be.

He describes the basic techniques needed to create traditional French food and demonstrates 40 simple-to-follow versions of the most well-known French dishes. With step-by-step instructions and colour photographs to accompany every stage from start to finish, all 40 recipes are quick and easy to prepare and use readily available ingredients.

All Raymond’s recipes are simple, rustic and completely delicious, and whether you choose quick and easy Oeufs en Cocotte or Moules Marinières, for a more elaborate meal, his foolproof instructions guarantee excellent results every time.

About the Author

Raymond Blanc is acknowledged as one of the finest chefs in the world. His hotel and restaurant, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, is the only country house hotel in the UK which has achieved two Michelin Stars for a total of 21 years. He also co-owns five successful Le Petit Blanc brasseries and a cookery school, L’Ecole de Cuisine. He has written numerous best-selling cookery books and regularly appears on television and radio.

This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

BBC Books, an imprint of Ebury Publishing,
20 Vauxhall Bridge Road,
London SW1V 2SA

BBC Books is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies
whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com

Raymond Blanc has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

First published in hardback as Foolproof French Cookery by BBC Books in 2002
This paperback edition first published in 2005
Reprinted 2005, 2006, 2007

The publishers would like to thank Divertimenti and Summerill and Bishop for their help in supplying items used in the photographs.

Introduction

These recipes demonstrate what is really good about French cuisine. The conviviality, the friends and laughter; the simple, hearty food, the rustic bread dipped into the sauce, and the heady red wine that will be drunk.

Most French life revolves around mealtimes, and my family was no exception. In France the table is still the centre of the house – not the bedroom, as many of my English guests might believe. The high priestess was my mother, whose creative force was born out of poverty, not wealth. She had to feed five children on a small budget, yet we ate like kings. For her, cooking was an act of love. At an early age, I was taught to love and respect food, for its beauty, its freshness and also its price. This simple philosophy has been a strong influence on my career as a chef.

The repertoire of French regional cuisine is almost inexhaustible. Even General de Gaulle, in a fit of Gallic temper, once protested, ‘How can you govern a country that has 365 different cheeses and three times more regional dishes!’

Each of the recipes I have chosen is very expressive of my mother’s cuisine. They are simple, rustic and completely delicious. They will grace your day-to-day table as much as a dinner party. I hope that they will give you as much joy as they have given me, as you share them with your family and friends.

The step-by-step photography will give you a real insight into how the dishes are created. This book will dispel the myth that French cuisine is difficult to master. Success will breed confidence, and shared enjoyment in the simple, creative act of cooking.

Recipe List

Roquefort, walnut and chicory salad

Gruyère, ham and mushroom salad with cream and mustard dressing

Poached asparagus with mayonnaise

Poached artichokes with mustard vinaigrette

Moules marinière

Chicken liver parfait

Pâté de campagne

Maman Blanc’s vegetable and chervil soup

French onion soup

Watercress soup

Recipe List

Pan-fried fillet of sea bream with ratatouille and tomato coulis

Roasted monkfish with herb purée and mustard beurre blanc

Pan-fried salmon fillet with sorrel sauce

Chicken fricassée with vinegar and herbs

Grilled marinated chicken breast with courgette ribbons

Coq au vin

Chicken with morel and sherry sauce

Duck leg confit with flageolet beans

Duck breast with sweet potatoes and cherry sauce

Pot-au-feu of braised pork belly

Provençal rack of lamb with crushed peas

Braised lamb neck fillet with butterbeans and garlic sausage

Steak ‘Maman Blanc’

Calf’s liver with persillade

Recipe List

Baked pancakes with spinach, mushrooms and Gruyère

Semolina and Gruyère quenelles with tomato sauce

Stuffed tomatoes

Petits pois à la française

Gratin dauphinois

Potato purée

Recipe List

Cherry clafoutis

Chocolate mousse

Crème caramel

Floating islands ‘Maman Blanc’

Pain perdu with warm raspberries and strawberries

Lemon tart

Peaches poached in white wine and citrus fruits

Tarte Tatin

Riz au lait

Galette des rois

Roquefort, walnut and chicory salad

Roquefort comes from the Auvergne, a region of France that British people have a particular affection for. It is a very rich cheese with a strong, spicy taste. This simple salad is one of the best ways to appreciate its flavour. Make sure the cheese is well chilled before use, so you can crumble it easily. Choose the walnuts and walnut oil carefully; if old, they will taste rancid and unpleasant. Should you wish, you can replace the chicory with any other salad leaves.

serves 4

preparation time: 15 minutes

For the salad:

16 small heads of chicory

1 apple, such as Granny Smith or Braeburn

75 g (3 oz) Roquefort cheese

100 g (4 oz) walnuts, chopped

1 celery stick, finely sliced

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

For the dressing:

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons best-quality walnut oil

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Preparing the salad ingredients. Cut the base off the chicory and remove any damaged outer leaves. Cut each chicory head in half lengthways and set aside.

2 Halve the apple, remove the core and slice or dice finely. Crumble the Roquefort on to a plate and chill while you prepare the dressing.

3 Preparing the dressing. To make the dressing, whisk the mustard, vinegar and water together, then trickle in the walnut oil and olive oil, whisking constantly. Season to taste with 2 pinches of salt and 2 pinches of pepper.

4 Finishing the salad. Mix the dressing with the chicory, walnuts, apple, celery and two-thirds of the Roquefort. Arrange on a large serving dish or individual plates. Scatter the remaining Roquefort over the salad and top with the chopped chives.

Gruyère, ham and mushroom salad with cream and mustard dressing

A simple, everyday salad from my native county, Franche-Comté. Most of my English friends speed past it on their way from Paris to the south of France and in doing so bypass one of the loveliest and most hospitable areas of the country. It produces some of the very best cream and cheeses in France, which are used extensively in its cuisine.

serves 4

preparation time: 20 minutes

For the salad:

300 g (11 oz) smoked ham or jambon de Paris

100 g (4 oz) Gruyère cheese

200 g (7 oz) firm, fresh button mushrooms

2 chicory heads

100 g (4 oz) frisée lettuce

100 g (4 oz) lamb’s lettuce

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

For the dressing:

1 small tablespoon Dijon mustard

5 tablespoons whipping cream

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

5 tablespoons grapeseed oil or extra-virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Preparing the salad ingredients. Cut the ham into strips. Slice the cheese and cut that into strips too. Cut the mushrooms into slices 3 mm (⅛ in) thick. Cut the base off the chicory and remove any damaged outer leaves. Cut each chicory head in half lengthways, then slice into 2 cm (¾ in) chunks.

2 Making the dressing. Put the mustard in a small bowl and whisk in the cream, then the white wine vinegar. Gradually whisk in the oil and then season to taste with 2 pinches of sea salt and 2 pinches of black pepper.

3 Finishing the salad. Put the chicory, lettuce, ham, cheese and mushrooms in a large bowl or individual bowls, and mix with the dressing. Scatter the chopped chives on top and serve.

Poached asparagus with mayonnaise

One of the truly great spring dishes. Asparagus is now available all year round but home grown is best, and the more local the better. The UK season is very short, lasting from May until June.

This mayonnaise bears no resemblance to commercial products bearing the same name. The taste is full, with an edge of acidity and a delicate piquancy from the cayenne pepper. To help prevent the mayonnaise splitting, ensure that all the ingredients are at room temperature before you start. The reward for this simple creative act is enormous and you will never want to buy bottled mayonnaise again.

serves 4

preparation time: 20 minutes

cooking time: 4–5 minutes

For the mayonnaise:

2 organic or free range egg yolks

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 pinches of salt

a pinch of cayenne pepper

300 ml (½ pint) groundnut oil or any good unscented oil

juice of ½ lemon

For the asparagus:

1 kg (2¼ lb) medium-sized English asparagus

3 litres (5 pints) water

2 tablespoons salt

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Making the mayonnaise. If you are a masochist like me, use a bowl and balloon whisk; otherwise a hand-held electric beater is fine. Whisk the egg yolks, mustard, salt and cayenne together in the bowl. Gradually, at a slow trickle, whisk in the oil. The mixture will thicken and become a rich straw yellow. This early stage is the most delicate; it is important not to add the oil too fast or the sauce might curdle. (If this happens, put another egg yolk in a clean bowl and slowly whisk in the curdled sauce. When it has all been incorporated, continue with the rest of the oil.)

2 The more oil you add, the thicker the sauce will become. Halfway through, whisk in the lemon juice to thin it down, then continue adding the oil, more speedily now as the mayonnaise should be safe from curdling at this stage. Taste and correct the seasoning. If the mayonnaise is too thick, thin it down with about a tablespoon of warm water. Refrigerate until required.

3 Preparing the asparagus. Cut off the woody lower part of the asparagus stems. In a large pan, bring the water to a galloping boil and add the salt.

4 Cooking the asparagus. Gently lower the asparagus into the rapidly boiling water, making sure that all the tips are on one side of the pan. Cover with a lid to bring the water back to the boil more quickly. Remove the lid and cook for 4–5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus; it should be bright green and tender but still a little firm.

5 Serving the asparagus.

About the Book

About the Author

Introduction

Recipe List

Recipe List

Recipe List

Recipe List

Roquefort, walnut and chicory salad

Gruyère, ham and mushroom salad with cream and mustard dressing

Poached asparagus with mayonnaise