Winter

This Radicchio Orange Pecan Salad is one of my favorite salads to make over the Winter. Bitter radicchio, fresh baby spinach, juicy orange supremes, toasted pecans and goat cheese are drizzled with a honey and Dijon vinaigrette – resulting in a delicious mix of bitter, sweet and savory flavors. This is a colorful side dish to serve over the Holidays, or to enjoy as a weekday dinner on its own as well.

Known as “Torsades au Fromage”, these Gruyère Cheese Twists are the perfect crowd pleasers to serve with the French apéro – the traditional pre-dinner drinks and snacks in France. Made of flaky puff pastry twisted with nutty Gruyère Cheese, they are quickly assembled and deliver big buttery and cheesy flavors. If you’re looking for a no-stress finger food recipe for your next get-together, this is the one!

Known as “Pains d’Amandes”, these thin Spiced Almond Cookies are a beloved specialty from the Flanders region, straddling Northern France and Belgium. Made with cinnamon, nutmeg and almonds, these slice-and-bake oblong cookies pack warm holiday-spiced flavors and a great crunch.

This Flemish Beef and Beer Stew, most commonly shortened as “Carbonnade”, is the stew of choice in Belgium as well as the North of France. With plenty of beef chunks, caramelized onions, brown ale and the inclusion of brown sugar, this dish has a distinct sweet and salty taste that makes it stand out from the crowd. Its rich glistening gravy and fork-tender beef chunks are pure comfort food, and makes it a perfect dish to indulge in during the cold season.

With a buttery crust, cheese-filled custard and bits of smoky bacon, the Quiche Lorraine is classic French at its best. This recipe is a home cooks’ favorite, as it’s an all-in-one-meal that’s a welcome addition to any table – be it lunch, dinner or brunch. Extra points if you make the pie crust from scratch!

A classic from the French repertoire, this Chicken Chasseur is a stew originally born from hunters returning home with their bounty of small game and wild mushrooms. In this classic version of the dish, bone-in chicken pieces and loads of mushrooms are braised in tomato sauce with white wine and fresh herbs, with a big dollop of butter to enrich the sauce at the end.

This Tarte Fine aux Pommes – literally “Thin Apple Tart” – is a French bakery staple in the Fall. It features a thin puff-pastry crust with no raised borders, thin apple slices for topping and crisp caramelized edges. I love how it’s quickly put together, requires no tart pan, yet makes for an utterly delicious and elegant dessert. It’s light, flaky and best enjoyed by hand.

Pork chops, apples and cider collide in this typical dish from Brittany – a French region famous for its apple orchards and pig farms. These Pork Chops with Apples served in a cider-spiked creamy sauce are a favorite recipe amongst Brittany home cooks, as it’s a simple one-pan dish that boasts delicious sweet and savory flavors. It’s rustic, perfect for Fall and a great square meal for the whole family. 

While classic French financiers are typically made from ground almonds, these Roasted Hazelnut Financiers are made from – you guessed it – roasted hazelnuts, to help provide bolder flavors. This variation on these iconic French bite-sized cakes is a favorite of mine for its perfectly-matched notes of nutty brown butter and rich, toasty hazelnuts. These financiers are quick and easy to make, incredibly delicious and the perfect treats to ease into Fall baking.

Known as “Potage Saint-Germain”, this Split Pea Bacon Soup is a staple French recipe that combines earthy green split peas with vegetables, pureed until smooth, and topped with crispy bacon for good smoky flavor. This is an easy and affordable soup to make. It’s thick, creamy and very satisfying. Another classic recipe for your French repertoire – it will surely be a family favorite.