Sunday, October 16, 2016

Countdown: The ten dishes the French love the most

 
10. Les tomates farcies
 
Better known as "stuffed tomatoes" in English (doesn't sound as fancy, does it?), this dish sees roasted tomatoes stuffed with ground sausage, garlic, mushrooms, and often much more. 
 
9. Le steak-frites 
 
Better known as steak and fries in English, this is a dish that was invented in France, according to the French (the Belgians think it was them who invented it). Either way, this is a staple meal in any brasserie in France. Delicious.  
 
The food so nice they named it twice. This north-African dish has also become a favourite in France, and can be served in 1,001 different ways. Enjoy. 
 
7. Le gigot d'agneau 
 
Better known as a leg of lamb in English, this dish - when cooked right - is a real winner. With a bit of garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil, and plenty of time - you've got yourself a meal to remember. 
 
6. Les moules-frites 
 
Mussels and fries - a meal you'll also see plastered on the menus of brasseries everywhere but particularly in the north and north west of the country.
 
5. La blanquette de veau 
 
A veal ragout where the meat isn't browned, usually by cooking it in a white stock or flavoured water. 
 
4. Le bœuf bourguignon 
 
Also called beef Burgundy, this is one of the most classic French dishes, and usually ranks as France's favourite food. In case you've never heard of it, it's a beef stew braised in Burgundy red wine. 
 
3. La raclette 
 
Raclette is melted cheese, often scraped off the side of the cheese wheel (the French verb 'to scrape' is racler). More modern variants see meat and cheese grilled on an electric hot plate. Although the Swiss will claim Raclet is from their side of the Alps, there's no doubt it's popular in France.
 
2. La côte de boeuf 
 
In second place it was the rib steak, which in France is served with the bone still attached. This dish is a popular one in France, and some restaurants will serve a huge steak for two people to share.
 
1. Le magret de canard 
 
And number one is the magret de canard, or duck breast in English. The duck breast is cooked like a steak and served medium rare. Controversially, it's traditionally taken from a duck that was raised specifically for its liver - known as foie gras in France. The Local-France