Provencal Vegetable Tian
François de MélogueProvencal RecipesSide DishTaste

Easy Vegetable Side Dish Provencal Tian

Confusingly, the word tian has two meanings: it is both an earthenware dish and whatever you are preparing inside of your tian. Every French person I know has their family favourites. This tian was ours. It is super colourful and will be the star of any meal. Confession Time. I …

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Strawberry Lemon Mille-Feuille
Cakes & CookiesDessertFrançois de MélogueProvencal RecipesTaste

Strawberry and Lemon Mille-Feuille a Summer Dessert

Mille-feuille (pronounced meal foy), or thousand layers, is a rich dessert of several layers of crispy crunchy puff pastry layered with a pastry cream filling and/or fruit. In my version, I layered lemon curd, whipped cream, and ripe strawberries. If you do not have strawberries use other berries or even …

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Quiche Basics French Classics
François de MélogueLunchtime MealsProvencal RecipesTaste

Quiche Basics: Mastering the French Classic

Although not typically Provencal, quiche is definitely French. You find variations of this savoury tart in most bakeries, grocery stores and many lunch menus. The Quiche Lorraine is indeed the classic version, originating from the northeastern region of France. Any quiche recipe starts with eggs, cream, and (usually) cheese. After …

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Crispy Duck Confit a French Classic
François de MélogueMain CoursePoultryProvencal RecipesTaste

Crispy Duck Confit a French Classic

If you could pick your last meal – what would it be? For my last meal on Earth, I would select a dish that is both humble and classic. I would choose a duck confit. There is something utterly delicious about obscenely crisp duck skin mixed with succulent duck meat. It …

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Warm Chocolate Tart Dessert
DessertFrançois de MéloguePies & TartsProvencal RecipesTaste

A Warm Chocolate Tart for Dessert

This past weekend I made my favourite dessert of all time; a seductively simple warm chocolate tart that I first encountered at Joel Robuchon’s restaurant in Paris many years ago. It is a rich and decadent dessert, with a silky-smooth custard-like chocolate filling that truly has no peers. The first …

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Provencal Lamb Daube Gedda
François de MélogueLambMain CourseProvencal RecipesTaste

Provencal Lamb Daube Inspired by Gui Gedda

Learning to cook traditional Provencal dishes with the legendary Gui Gedda is no exception. If you are lucky enough to find a copy of his culinary masterpiece Cooking School Provence you will glean wonders from the man that chefs around the world refer to as the Pope or Marcel Pagnol …

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Bûche de Noël Christmas
Christmas & HolidayDessertFrançois de MélogueProvencal RecipesTaste

Bûche de Noël a Sweet French Christmas Tradition

A French Christmas Yule Log Of all the culinary treats that grace the French Christmas table, nothing inspires more child-like joy than a rich, chocolate Bûche de Noël. Real yule logs, the kind from living trees, have had symbolic significance to the French for centuries. Until the late 1800s, it …

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Make Perfect Salade Niçoise
François de MélogueProvencal RecipesSaladTaste

Make the Perfect Salade Niçoise

A debate is raging over what constitutes a “correct” salade Niçoise. To the purists, the rules are clear: no vinegar, no lettuce, no fresh tuna, and no boiled vegetables, like potatoes or green beans. If you add any of these, you will be labelled as a heretic and sent to …

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Grilled Anchovies Two Ways
Fish & SeafoodFrançois de MélogueMain CourseProvencal RecipesTaste

Grilled Anchovies Two Ways from the South of France

Eating anchovies is one of life’s guiltless pleasures. I say guiltless because they are affordable, good for you, and very sustainable.  But best of all they simply taste great and are quick to prepare. All that is required is a hot grill, a drizzle of olive oil, and a bright …

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Seared Tuna Sorrel Provencal style
Fish & SeafoodFrançois de MélogueMain CourseProvencal RecipesTaste

Seared Tuna with Sorrel Provencal Style

In the Pacific Northwest, where fresh seafood is abundant, I am generally frustrated with the fish selection in our grocery stores. However, on one shopping trip, I stumbled across a package of flash-frozen ahi tuna steaks. Remembering a Provencal preparation called ‘Thon à l’Oseille,’ or seared tuna with sorrel, I …

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