Steak au Poivreby Anthony Bourdain
The chef and No Reservations host has tips on a French classic.
To flambé or not to flambé? Bourdain says it’s not necessary, flavor-wise, but if the pyromaniac in you just can’t resist, then for God’s sake tie back your hair and make sure you’re not wearing a caftan. Most restaurants opt for a fancy cut of meat in this recipe, but because of the flavorful sauce, it’s perfectly appropriate to use any thick, tender cut. A healthy wallop of crunchy black peppercorns enhances the rich flavor of the meat.
Click here for the recipe.
Frisee Salad Lyonnaise-Styleby Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Mark Bittman
The restaurateur-chef and the food writer offer a show-off salad.
When the yolk in the poached egg pops and becomes one with the dressing, it’s a lovely thing. This is a classic lunch dish in Lyon—but we’ve been known to eat it at breakfast (bacon and eggs, right?) and dinner, too. Everything here can be done in advance (including the poached eggs, which only need to be reheated at the last moment), so it’s also a great show-off salad for a dinner party.
Click here for the recipe.
Steamed Leeks in Mustard and Caper Vinaigretteby Patricia Wells
A French favorite gets its due from the Paris-based cookbook author and teacher.
The French love leeks and give them the respect they are due. Here the elegant poireaux are simply steamed, then immediately bathed in a lively sauce of vinegar, mustard, capers, and oil, so they absorb all those delicious flavors, maintaining both color and integrity. For this dish, choose the smallest, freshest leeks you can find.
Click here for the recipe.
Tartiflette by Peggy Knickerbocker
The food author shares a sinful stuffed cheese.
In America you can easily find a potato stuffed with cheese and bacon, but the French aren’t messing around. They stuff their potatoes and bacon into their cheese. Just slice open a strong, runny cheese such as Reblochon, Pont l’Évêque, Muenster, or Époisses, heap it with a mixture of cooked potato, bacon, and onions, replace the top of the cheese, and bake until molten. Mon dieu!
Click here for the recipe.
Cherry Clafoutisby Alice Waters
Chez Panisse’s legendary founder puts an American spin on a French favorite.
Traditionally, French clafoutis is a cake of un-pitted sour cherries baked into a pancake-like batter. The inclusion of the cherry pits infuses the dessert with an almond flavor. In this version, made with sweeter, pitted cherries, the addition of almond extract enhances the flavor and makes it taste more like the French original without the danger of cracking a tooth on a cherry pit.
Click here for the recipe.
