Ratatouille, bouillabaisse, salad Nicoise, daube de boeuf are the traditional dishes of Provence, often dubbed ” the cuisine of the sun” has traveled all over the world.
On the menu in Provence.
A meal can start with anchoiade with crudites, baby artichokes, fish soup or caillettes. In winter you can enjoy scrambled eggs with truffles. Even though bouillabaisse is Provence‘s most famous dish you will find wonderful fish dishes in many restaurants by the beach and the real treat is ocean-fresh fish simply charcoal-grilled. Sea bass and bream are often matched with fennel or artichokes. Lamb is one of the main meat dishes that we love, grilled or roasted with fresh herbs, as well as rabbit roasted or baked with wine. Also stews are quite frequent on a Provencal table such as daube de boeuf. Vegetable dishes include creamed Swiss chard and cardoons, and all manner of gratins and tians.
Nicoise Cuisine.
This distinctive cuisine reflects the city’s history as part of Italian Piedmont until 1860. Not surprisingly you will find ravioli, Polenta and pasta dishes on the menu. Sardines and anchovies are the two favorite fish. Nonats are tiny sardines and anchovy fry. Anchovies are also featured in Pissaladiere and Salad Nicoise while sardines may be marinated or stuffed with breadcrumbs and herbs. Nice is also home to the Ratatouille and farcis nicois.
Artichaux a la Barigoule.
Small violet or poivrade artichokes are trimmed , halved and sauteed with onion, bacon, garlic, carrots and maybe mushroom ( a similar mix can be used to stuff them), then simmered in white wine and herbs until tender.
Daube de Boeuf.
This dish gets its name from the Daubiere, the terra cotta casserole in which it is cooked . Marinate large cubes of beef overnight with red wine, onions, garlic and a bouquet garni. Onions, carrots and bacon lardons, then the meat are browned in olive oil and then stewed for 3 to 5 hours in the marinade, with tomatoes and orange peel, until the sauce has turned an almost blackish-brown. A very similar dish is made with lamb ( Daube d’Avignon), and in the Camargue, with bull’s meat ( Gardianne de boeuf).
Loup au fenouil.
Fennel aniseed taste goes well with fish. A whole sea bass ( or sea bream) is stuffed with a handful of stalks of fennel and baked with dry white wine and baked with dry white wine. The fish can also be grilled over fennel twigs to impart flavour.
Bouillabaise.
Is no longer fisherman’s stew, using the leftovers of the fish simmered in sea water. These days it is a costly, luxury dish that you may need to order 24 hours in advance. Some recipes use all kinds of different fish but the essential are rascasse (scorpion fish) , gurnard and conger eel cooked in a saffron – scented fish stock with onion, leek, tomato, olive oil and dried orange peel. Potatoes are added before serving. it is often eaten in two stages : First the golden broth then the fish itself.
Nicois street food.
Nice has wonderful snacks that can be bought from stalls on Cours Saleya or around the old port, including the famous Pissaladiere. Socca is a large chickpea crepe baked in a circular iron dish and cut into pieces to be eaten with fingers, while panisses are chickpea fritters dusted with icing sugar. Pan Bagnat is sort of Nicoise served on a bun- A round bread roll moistened with olive oil and stuffed with anchovies, tomato, egg and olives.
Anne Suire
http://www.luxurytravelconsultant2.com
Bouillabaisse..
Bouillabaisse usually comes with Rouille…
Artichokes a la Barrigoule
Boeuf daube…
Loup au Fenouil….
