Meat

Most French families now rely on simple grilled or roasted meats, with little accompaniment other than a sauce made from the meat’s own juices. However, many traditional dishes rely on sauces and long cooking times for their success. The following dishes are old favourites which have been slightly adapted to make them easier to make, but which still convey some of the many textures, smells and tastes of the traditional French kitchen.

The essential thing when buying meat is to ensure it is of excellent quality. I find that, as with poultry, free-range organic meat is greatly superior in taste to the pre-packed, mass-produced variety. Befriend a good organic butcher, who will be able to recommend cuts of meat to suit the recipe you are planning, and bear in mind that whatever your personal standpoint on eating meat (and be it on ethical, taste or health grounds), it is always beneficial to know that what you are eating has been treated with respect before it reaches your table.