There is nothing better than the tantalising aroma of roast chicken, well except for chocolate cake. As for savoury dishes, roast chicken is a winner for a family, it requires very little supervision, there are often leftovers for sandwiches and bones for soup or stock.  The credit for this recipe goes to Denise, my belle mere, she uses local, seasonal and when practical organic products for her creations. Enjoy Denise’s Poulet Provençal au citron de Menton, it’s a simple roast chicken dish with local lemons.

This chicken recipe combines the flavours of southern of the Mediterranean – basil, tomatoes, olive oil and pine nuts into a versatile main dish. You can serve Poulet Basilic aux Tomates Confites (chicken with caramelized tomatoes) hot or at room temperature. This recipe is simple to prepare, uses fresh ingredients and it is great for a picnic – a perfect summer dish.

At Mas d’Augstine, we spend our “off-season” on maintenance, accounting and a bit of experimentation in the kitchen. To kick off the 2018 Chambre d’Hôtes season, we accommodated a party of eleven (yes 11!) and tested our recipe at the first table d’hotes of the year. Following a pasta course (Mushroom Spinach Ricotta Cannelloni), we served Flambéed Chicken to rave reviews.

Every cook needs to have a few “go-to” recipes tucked in their apron. These recipes are the ones that you can make without checking to see if you have the ingredients, you know are delicious, and never fail to impress your guests.

For me, my mother’s Dijon Chicken, a simple baked poultry dish that is ready in under 30-minutes, is a go-to combination.

A traditional chicken Fricassée flavoured with a Tarragon, mustard and veggie cream sauce.

Seared duck breast is quick and easy to cook. The meat is seared on high-temperature for about 5 minutes a side, then allowed to rest. However, the trick with duck is to create just the right sauce – fruity, savoury, wine or port. The inspiration for this recipe comes from Christmas flavours (citrus and pomegranate) and colours, and I served it for good friends during the holidays.

This recipe combines some of the classic French flavours – chicken, wild mushrooms, cream and potato in a tasty main dish. None of the components take very long to prepare, and the polenta-potato purée can be made in advance to save time. Choose a selection of fresh wild mushrooms to enhance the flavour profile of this Provençal Herb stuffed Chicken Breast and enjoy!

This “faux” cassoulet recipe appeared in the February 2016 issue of Bon Appetit magazine. I have prepared it several times to rave reviews from family and friends. Like a traditional cassoulet, it is a meal-in-a-dish and requires only a side salad, a robust red wine and perhaps a fruit dessert to complete the meal. It is perfect for cold winter evenings.

When I was growing up, I didn’t know that our style of serving meals growing up had a name. I know it as family style now but then, it was just how Mom and Dad did it. It wasn’t necessarily a daily thing, but I know it was served that …

Roast turkey is easy to make, and the citrus gives this dish a “sun-drenched” flavour. The root vegetable side dish is easy to make and a definite crowd pleaser.