potatoes

A Lamb Navarin stew, or “Navarin d’Agneau” in French, combines tender lamb chunks with loads of seasonal vegetables – including carrots, peas, turnips and new potatoes. It is a hearty, but lighter stew often enjoyed in France to wave goodbye to Winter. Embrace this Spring classic, fit for Easter celebrations or any festive gathering!

Known in French as Soupe Paysanne, this Cabbage and Sausage Soup is a rustic recipe that takes centre stage on French family tables throughout Winter. Every region and family have their own twist on it, but always with a hearty mix of vegetables and meats. This one is loaded with cabbage, carrots, leek, smoked pork sausage and potatoes in a flavourful broth. It is a perfectly hearty, stick-to-your-ribs soup that satisfies and warms you up during colder days.

Known as Hachis Parmentier, the French Style Cottage Pie embodies French comfort food at its best. It features a layer of ground beef that’s seasoned with nutmeg and fresh herbs, topped with creamy mashed potatoes that are loaded with butter, and baked until golden and bubbly. The dish is hearty, comforting, and perfect for colder fall and winter weather.

While its name sounds Italian, Piemontaise Salad is in fact a very iconic French bistro fare. This potato salad features tangy cornichons, parisian ham, Gruyère cheese, eggs and tomatoes all tossed in a creamy mayonnaise-based dressing. This easy salad is utterly delicious and satisfying, and perfect for a quick weekday lunch or as a starter for weekend entertaining. There is no doubt why the French love it so much!

With crisp greens and tender potatoes, this French-Style Potato and Green Bean Salad is a satisfying yet light salad that yields bold Mediterranean flavors. As per French tradition, it is not tossed in mayo, but instead a delicious, zippy French-style vinaigrette spiked with briny olives, capers and fresh herbs. It’s a great side dish for gatherings or potlucks. Add hard-boiled eggs on top to make it the perfect warm-weather lunch!

This Watercress Soup, known as “Soupe de Cresson” in French, is a typical recette de grand–mère, aka a “grandmother’s recipe”. Made of onions, potatoes for extra body, and bright peppery-tasting watercress, this soup offers healthy comfort for the soul. But you can still dress it up with a dollop of crème fraiche for a touch of richness. 

The Garbure is a rustic soup from the Gascony region consisting of smoked ham hock, beans, cabbage and seasonal vegetables slowly stewed. It’s rich, full of smokey flavor and intentionally thick: it’s said a Garbure is ready when the ladle can stand upright in the pot. This robust soup is a great classic of French mountain cooking and best enjoyed on a blistery Winter day.

Known as “Harengs Pommes à l’Huile”, this traditional Pickled Herring and Potato Salad is a classic Bistro starter in France. The tang of the pickled herrings compliments the creaminess of simple boiled potatoes, all bound together with a tangy red onion vinaigrette. This humble dish is often served during Winter as it is nutritious, packed with good fats from the fish and very satisfying. This is a quick, easy and affordable recipe to recreate at home. I love to make it when I yearn for a satisfying yet healthy-ish starter …

Known as “Pommes de Terre Sarladaises”, this side dish of potatoes cooked in duck fat is an absolute classic of south-western French cooking. It features potato slices seared in duck fat and finished with garlic and fresh parsley. It is a very simple recipe but with big flavors – thanks to the duck fat. The potatoes are tender on the inside, extra crisp on the outside and have an incomparably luscious and nutty taste.

No mayo, fresh herbs and zippy add-ons are what make a Classic French-Style Potato Salad a Summer favorite! In comparison to its American counterpart, almost always thickly dressed with mayonnaise, the French-style potato salad relies on a lively vinaigrette dressing to create a more elegant and lighter version of this staple.