Sunday Lunch in Provence a Summer Buffet

Provence is a wonderful place to visit all year, but the summer it’s – OohProvence! The cicadas start chanting as the temperatures rise in late June. When the lavender and sunflowers bloom in July and August, shaded restaurant tables are in high demand.

Summer entertaining should be stress-free and casual. Imagine a gathering of friends in a shaded courtyard shaded while everyone enjoys a leisurely Sunday lunch. With that in mind, Christopher Curtis and Laurent Nurisso, the founders of OohProvence (independent travel with a WOW!), curated this summer menu.

Please note the QR code at the bottom of this post. The code provides a 15% discount on your first OohProvence tour.

This no-fuss menu includes a series of small dishes that can be made in advance and served buffet-style. All the recipes use fresh, local Provencal produce found in local markets. The variety of dishes allows for choice, and most importantly, the host(s) can relax as the food is prepared the day before and/or the morning of the party. Make sure to leave room for dessert and serve plenty of chilled rosé.

Small Starters:

Fresh Tomato Goat Cheese Tart

This easy-to-make tart combines flavourful tomatoes and tangy goat cheese in a pretty shape.

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A savoury tart combining fresh, tasty tomatoes and local goat cheese. This A Table en Provence recipe includes making your own dough, but you can buy a prepared version if you are short on time.

Radish and green Olive Tartare on sourdough bread

Easy, tangy appetizer

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This appetizer requires no cooking, which is perfect for a hot summer day. The preparation time is limited, and the combination of red radish with green olive makes for a lovely tangy “tartare.” Enjoy the mixture on top of fresh bread.

Salads:

Fig and Tomato Salad

This is a easy and delicious salad that combines sweet fig and tangy tomatoes on one plate.

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This simple salad recipe combines slightly tart tomatoes with sweet, fresh figs (from your own tree if you are lucky enough). The figs counter-balance the acidity in the late-season tomatoes, and the cheese, although optional, adds some extra, creamy roundness to the flavours.

Grilled Octopus Salad - Salade Composée aux Poulpes Grillés

This recipe is great for a large, lunch salad or you can serve smaller portions as a starter for dinner.

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Have you ever tried grilled octopus? It’s a Mediterranean delicacy, and NOW is the time to be adventurous in the kitchen. This Summer salad recipe with grilled octopus is fresh, delicious, and colourful. The salade composée is a visual treat, as well as a yummy starter for your guests.

Larger Plates:

Boulettes de Poisson à la Marsaillaise {Marseille-Style Fish Balls}

This fish recipe was adapted from the book "Flavors from the French Mediterranean" by Michelin 3-star chef Gérald Passedat. This dish can be prepared in advance and assembled when you serve.

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Marseille-style fish balls (boulettes) is adapted from the book “Flavors from the French Mediterranean” by Michelin 3-star chef Gérald Passedat. This dish can be prepared in advance and assembled when you serve.

Poulet Basilic aux Tomates Confites

Make extra when you prepare this chicken dish, it makes a great lunch the next day. Chicken, basil and sundried tomatoes a delicious summer combination.

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This chicken recipe combines the Mediterranean’s flavours – 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 is great for a picnic – a perfect summer dish.

Dessert:

Apricot and Pistachio Tarte Tartin

This apricot tarte tatin is not only beautiful it is easy to make.

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Take a culinary deviation from the original apple version with this Apricot and Pistachio Tarte Tartin. It is a quick and easy dessert to round off a perfectly Provençal meal. The tangy sweetness of the apricots is a lovely antidote to the richly astringent thyme flavour.

Madeleines with Orange Blossom Water

If you're looking for a picnic-worthy treat to enjoy in the sunshine (or indoors for a bright flavour reminiscent of springtime), then look no further! These madeleines have gentle citrus notes from the orange blossom water.

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Lemony Sweet Verbena Ice Cream

It's not hard to make ice cream, and even easier with an ice cream maker. This version made with fresh verbena is a lovely tangy summer treat.

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Verbena has a lovely lemony flavour, the flowering plant is pretty enough, but it is the leaves you can use for hot water infusions or flavouring dishes. It’s not hard to make ice cream and even easier with an ice cream maker. This version made with fresh verbena is a lovely tangy summer treat.

Please send a note if you would like to have a PDF copy of this menu.

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Carolyne Kauser-Abbott

With her camera and laptop close at hand, Carolyne has traded in her business suits for the world of freelance writing and blogging. Her first airplane ride at six months of age was her introduction to the exciting world of travel.

While in Provence, Carolyne can be found hiking with friends, riding the hills around the Alpilles or tackling Mont Ventoux. Her attachment to the region resonates in Perfectly Provence this digital magazine that she launched in 2014. This website is an opportunity to explore the best of the Mediterranean lifestyle (food & wine, places to stay, expat stories, books on the region, travel tips, real estate tips and more), through our contributors' articles.

Carolyne writes a food and travel blog Ginger and Nutmeg. Carolyne’s freelance articles can be found in Global Living Magazine, Avenue Magazine and City Palate (Published Travel Articles).