One much overlooked cut of meat is skirt steak, cooked correctly it has so much flavour and the added benefit of being half the price of fillet.

Ragoût of Fennel and Langoustine with Saffron for a dinner party? This savoury “stew” is served on little boxes of puff pastry. Inspired by Provence, David decided on a pink-theme for their dinner starting with a potted salmon appetizer and this served this impressive seafood main course.

A creamy seafood pie with salmon, mushrooms and leeks with a crispy golden top of filo pastry.

The key ingredient for this recipe is the cod, but the dish is really brought to life by the lemon, garlic and cheese that are added to the fish topping and the stuffing for the flowers.

Tangy mustard crusted salmon served on creamy green Sorrel sauce with sweet radishes.
Saumon à la Crème d’Oseille

Eggplants are a market staple in Provence. Although this recipe is more Italian in theme, you certainly can find lasagna on menus in Provence. Deep purple aubergines are a somewhat somber contrast to the bright red strawberries and tomatoes that you might find displayed on market stalls. This purple vegetable is a main stay in Provencal cuisine and certainly is a key ingredient in any ratatouille recipe.

A simple yet elegant fish fillet served on a creamy warm pea risotto.

Tender scallops seared and served with a creamy curried leak sauce.

This is a classic French dish using rabbit and Dijon mustard but, if you really don’t want to cook rabbit, then substitute chicken thighs.

Chicken breasts can be much more interesting if stuffed and rolled, especially as the cooking method I use helps them to stay moist and succulent. There are various options for the stuffing, but my favourite is goats’ cheese with Serrano ham and a few basil leaves.