The Provencal Cookbook: Shop, cook, and eat like a local
Kitchen Essentials and Techniques
The first two chapters at the beginning of the book, the Essentials of the Provençal Kitchen and The Techniques of the Provençal Chef detail the basic essential ingredients such as olive oil, dried goods, tomatoes, honey and preserves, flavorings and aromatics, charcuterie, apéritifs, rosé wine and also demonstrate basic cooking methods from making a bouquet garni to preparing artichokes in step-by-step photos.
The Recipes
Appetizers
There are seven chapters are dedicated to the Provençal cuisine beginning with appetizers such as Garlic and Anchovy toasts, Ratatouille, and Zucchini Fritters.
Fish and Seafood
After a quick lesson how to select the best and freshest fish, we’re off to the market for to select fish to make Bouillabaisse, Provençal mussels in white wine or a Fish Soup made with assorted fish and seafood.
Since mussels are one of my family’s favourite seafood, I made the Provençal mussels in white wine. I chose this particular mussel recipe because I wanted to make the wine and cream sauce which also includes mussel stock. Well, I made 5 kilos of mussels (11 lbs.) for 5 people and there was not one mussel left. This recipe is absolutely divine with the wine cream sauce, fennel and shallots. We ate the mussels with crusty bread dipped in the sauce.
Meat and Poultry
Some of the delectable recipes for meat and poultry are lamb stew with honey and rosé wine (you can almost smell the wonderful aroma as the stew is slowing cooking), veal chops with pine nuts, savory-stuffed chicken legs, Hunter’s rabbit and Beef Daube (slow-cooked beef) and Provençal stuffed duck with fig and anchovy filling.
Accompaniments, sauces and condiments
There are a variety of recipes for accompaniments such as Couscous with raisins, Pilaf rice and Bagna cauda, an anchovy and garlic dip served with raw vegetables, sauces such as Tapenade (Provence’s famous caper sauce) and condiments such a Ketchup à la Provençal.
Wonderful Desserts
The stalls at the fruit markets of Provence display an abundance of fresh, seasonal fruits which are used to make a variety of wonderful fruit desserts.
The Apple gratin recipe alone with its creamy filling would entice me to buy this book, but then so would the Orange tarts, the Pear tatin and Peach gâteau with honey caramel mousseline sauce recipes. Because I love apple baked goods, I made Apple gratin. This recipe is quick to assemble and takes about 50 minutes to bake. The apples are not peeled, which add colour to this dish. I served it warm, drizzled with icing sugar and pure maple syrup. It doesn’t get better than that.
Cheeseboards
In the Cheese chapter, there is information on how to select cheese for a cheeseboard and how cheese is produced in Provence.
Baking
And now we bake. But not before a behind- the -scenes look at the Provence’s bakeries (boulangeries). So many sweet and scrumptious recipes to choose from: fougasse, tarts, and cookies.
Madeleines with Lavender Honey Recipe
It was not easy task to choose a recipe to bake in this chapter, but finally I chose the Madeleines with Lavender Honey. I had to do some searching for the lavender honey but I finally found it in a gourmet shop at the market.
This recipe was slightly different that the one I usually make – it does not call for baking powder and the batter does not have to be refrigerated before baking. This process results in a rather flat Madeleine (no hump). At first bite, I could taste the sweet lavender honey. It was certainly worth the search.
- 7½ tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup flour
- 3 medium eggs
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons lavender honey
- grated zest of 1 lemon
- sifted powdered sugar for dusting
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- Generously grease the madeleine tins with soft butter.
- Sift the flour and salt together. Melt the stick of the butter and set aside to cool slightly.
- Break the eggs into a bowl. Add the granulated sugar and honey. Whisk with an electric mixer for at least 5 minutes until pale and creamy.
- Gently fold in the flour and lemon zest followed by the melted butter, taking care not to deflate the mixture.
- Spoon a scant tablespoon of the mixture into each of the buttered madeleine tins.
- Bake for 7-10 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.
- Remove from oven and immediately unmold onto a wire rack to cool. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
- Lavender Honey Madeleines
A Cookbook with Mediterranean Flavour
The Provençal Cookbook is
Cookbook Details
Title: The Provençal Cookbook
Authors: Gui Gedda and Marie-Pierre Moine
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: DK; Revised edition (Sept. 7 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-0756657918
Acknowledgement
Recipe excerpt used with permission by DK publishers.
Disclosure
As part of the Amazon affiliate program, I receive a small commission for every purchase made by through the link provided. This is at no extra charge to you with no extra charge to you.
This books sounds very interesting and well-rounded. I will have to check it out at the bookstore.
Great job Liliana – you make me want to get on to Amazon right this minute to order this book. I’m definitely going to check it out. Those mussels – omg – to die for.
The book sounds pretty good. And I liked your review of it.
That’s a beautiful and in depth review of an enviable book.I’d love to have it in my cookbook collection.Loved all the 3 dishes you chose to make. Well done!
this book looks great! thanks for recommending it. i’m going to check it out.. though it’s weird Amazon.com has the author’s name spelled wrong in two different places.
I am so glad you had the opportunity to enjoy this book Liliana. It sounds like an exceptional read as well as being full of tantalizing recipes and information.
Wonderful review. I have the book too and I found myself talking with a French accent…just kidding, but it did transport me to Provence.
I’m trying to keep my pantry bookshelf under control, but books such as this one, which boast a journey into a particular style of cooking, are always welcome. Lovely review and the recipes sound wonderful, especially the one for the Madeleines!