631 french recipes

Sole fillets rolled around a buttery shrimp and mushroom stuffing, poached in white wine and dill, then napped with a silky cream sauce thickened with egg yolk. A classic French-style seafood dinner.

Classic French truite au bleu: whole trout gently poached in a white wine court bouillon with shallots, herbs, and tarragon vinegar. Serve hot with herb butter or cold as an elegant first course.

Sole fillets stuffed with crab meat, sauteed mushrooms, capers, and dill, poached in white wine and topped with a rich egg-cream sauce. An elegant rolled fish dish with a French-inspired finish.

Florida bouillabaisse: a Gulf Coast riff on the French classic with fish, shrimp, crab, clams, and softshell turtle in a saffron-tomato broth. Wine, herbs, and white bread for sopping. Feeds a crowd.

Oysters au champagne is a classic French appetizer: fresh oysters poached in champagne and oyster liquor with garlic butter, plated over a bed of wilted spinach, and cloaked in a silky roux sauce.

Soupe de saumon a la creme is a French salmon cream soup made with a homemade fish stock, diced salmon, and whipped cream finished with fresh dill. An elegant, light first course for a dinner party.

Tortillas stuffed with cheese, ham, and sweet bell peppers covered in a savory mixture of eggs and salsa are allowed to mingle overnight, like a Mexican French toast. Easy to prepare and just pop it into the oven in the morning with your feet up, sipping a coffee.

A whole salmon fillet braised on a bed of buttery carrots, onions, and celery in dry vermouth with tarragon. Three sauce options from simple pan jus to a rich winey cream veloute.

Mike's fish fumet is a clean, aromatic homemade fish stock simmered from fish trimmings, leeks, and herbs with a splash of tarragon vinegar for brightness. The French base for chowders, seafood soups, and pan sauces.

People who do not like ordinary pate seem to love this one. Vary the herbs and substitute the vegetables as you wish. Serve with water crackers, thick slices of crusty French bread, thin slices of whole wheat bread, or unsalted whole wheat crackers. May be frozen.

Cold soups make for excellent summer fare. The best vichyssoise I ever had in my life was at a French restaurant during a Montreal summer. Humor me. Try the soup in the traditional manner but then, if you must heat it up, (sigh), go ahead.

Puree of broccoli florets with cream is a velvety French-style side dish: quickly blanched broccoli pulsed smooth, enriched with heavy cream, and seasoned with fresh nutmeg. Bright green, elegant, and ready in under 30 minutes.

Mako shark steak au poivre borrows the classic French steak au poivre treatment for meaty shark, seared in cracked pepper and napped with a Cognac-cream pan sauce. A 1980s steakhouse twist on a bistro classic.

Gingered flounder in parchment seals flounder fillets with snow peas, red pepper, carrots, and scallions in heart-shaped paper packets, then steams them in a soy-ginger marinade. A French en papillote technique with Asian flavors.

This no-cook French-inspired tuna salad packs briny capers, sliced black olives, roma tomatoes, and red onion with a red wine vinaigrette. Serve on whole grain bread with peppery watercress, or go full Nicoise-style over mixed greens with potatoes, eggs, and green beans.

Serves a large group and can be prepared the morning of the party and is assembled at the site of the party, 10 minutes before serving.