Michel Roux Jr. - The French Revolution: 140 Classic Recipes made Fresh & Simple

In this book Ive created some brand new recipes to suit the way we like to eat today, as well as taking a fresh look at some much-loved traditional dishes to bring them up to date. These days, most of us dont have hours to spend cooking and then washing every pot and pan in the place so Ive included plenty of recipes that take very little time but are still full of flavour. There are speedy omelettes, snacks such as open sandwiches and dips, bean and lentil recipes and plenty of pasta. I was raised on pasta and its still one of my top choices for a quick supper. Theres a wide selection of fish and meat too, ranging from simple and cheap mackerel fillets to more elaborate weekend feasts, such as shrimp tartlets thermidor and rack of lamb. The food here is very achievable you dont need lots of fancy equipment and nearly all of the ingredients are easy to come by.

Wherever possible I have reduced the richness and used less cream and butter than in the old days, while maintaining flavour. But this is not a diet book and there are some classics that just cant be improved on. I believe its fine to have a more indulgent treat once in a while so you will find a few luxurious dishes, such as duck confit pie and French toast. In the following chapters you will find ideas for all times of day from sensational scrambled eggs to soups, salads, easy one-pot suppers such as Basque-style chicken, mussels with beer, and braised squid, as well as puddings, breads and some special French drinks that make great aperitifs. There are recipes from every region to give a glimpse of what different parts of France have to offer. The recipes are not extravagant theres no lobster or foie gras.

I only mention truffles a couple of times and even then theyre optional. One of the best things about cooking great food is sharing it with other people. I hope you will enjoy making these dishes for your family and friends and showing them just how simple and delicious good French food can be. COOKS NOTES Bayonne ham this is an air-dried ham that comes from Southwest France and is named after the city of Bayonne. If you cant get Bayonne ham, you can use other air-dried hams, such as Parma ham or Serrano ham. Bouquet garni this is a bundle of herbs tied together with string for adding to soups, casseroles and other dishes.

Tying the herbs together makes it easier to remove them when the dish is done. The classic version contains parsley stalks, bay leaf, thyme, celery and leek, but I sometimes vary the contents to match the dish. Butter I use unsalted butter in recipes, unless otherwise specified. I do think that butter is one of those things that is worth spending a bit extra on if you can, in order to get the best. Eggs I use large, free-range eggs unless otherwise specified. Parsley Im happy with either curly or flatleaf parsley for most recipes, unless specified.

Piment despelette this is a mild, smoky chilli pepper grown in the Basque region of France. The chillies are dried and used whole, flaked or ground. You can use ordinary chilli powder or flakes but some kinds may be hotter than the Espelette chilli so bear this in mind. Stocks at the back of this book you will find recipes for some basics, such as stocks. Stock is really worth making yourself, but if you dont have time you can buy some good fresh stocks in supermarkets now. Ventrche this comes from fatty pork belly and can be smoked or salted.

Pancetta or smoked streaky bacon are good substitutes if you cant get ventrche.

Its made with simple store-cupboard ingredients but it has bags of flavour and is good served at any time of day. If you dont like the saltiness of anchovies, give them a thorough rinse under cold water. Serves 4 12 GOOD-QUALITY SALTED ANCHOVIES IN OLIVE OIL 1 TBSP OLIVE OIL 2 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED AND CHOPPED 10 FREE-RANGE EGGS 1 TBSP COLD BUTTER 24 GREEN OLIVES, PITTED AND HALVED CHIVES OR SPRING ONION LEAVES, SNIPPED TOAST, TO SERVE SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER Finely chop 4 of the anchovies. Warm the oil in a heavy-based pan, then gently cook the chopped anchovies and garlic. Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool. Cut the remaining anchovies in half lengthways.

Beat the eggs in a bowl, but do not season them. Pour the eggs into the pan with the chopped anchovies and garlic and cook them over a medium heat, while stirring with a spatula or wooden spoon. When the eggs are cooked but still a little runny, take the pan off the heat and mix in the butter. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Spoon the eggs into bowls and arrange the halved anchovies and olives on top. CROQUE-MADAME AU FOUR AVEC OEUFS DE CAILLE Baked Croque-Madame with Quails Eggs The traditional croque-madame is made with a rich bchamel sauce and is usually fried. CROQUE-MADAME AU FOUR AVEC OEUFS DE CAILLE Baked Croque-Madame with Quails Eggs The traditional croque-madame is made with a rich bchamel sauce and is usually fried.

My baked version is just as delicious but less calorific and much easier to make for a crowd, as it is baked in the oven. The bulk of the preparation can be done in advance if you like. Serves 6 225G STALE BREAD (SOURDOUGH IS BEST) 3 FREE-RANGE EGGS, PLUS 2 YOLKS 600ML MILK 100ML DOUBLE CREAM 1 TSP DIJON MUSTARD 90G GRUYRE CHEESE, GRATED 90G COMT CHEESE, GRATED GENEROUS GRATING OF NUTMEG 2 TBSP BUTTER 200G GOOD-QUALITY COOKED HAM, SLICED 6 QUAILS EGGS SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER Preheat the oven to 220C/Fan 200C/Gas 7. Cut the bread into 3cm cubes, put them on a baking tray and toast them in the oven until theyre dry and lightly coloured. Remove the bread and leave the oven on. Whisk the 3 eggs, 2 yolks, milk and cream together in a bowl.