118 french classic recipes

Classic French herb sauce with shallots, mushrooms, white wine, tarragon, chives, and parsley in a buttery roux base. A versatile sauce for meat, poultry, eggs, or pasta.

Classic French court bouillon, an aromatic poaching liquid for fish and seafood. Onion, lemon, cloves, and bay leaf simmer with optional white wine for fragrant, delicate results.

Classic leek and potato soup that pulls double duty: hot with croutons or chilled with milk, chives, and Tabasco for homemade vichyssoise. French bistro basics, two ways.

Classic French leek and potato soup made with just leeks, potatoes, butter, and stock. A 5-ingredient gluten-free soup that turns pantry basics into a creamy first course or light supper.

Banana French toast: a lighter take on the classic, dipped in egg substitute and topped with vanilla yogurt, caramelized banana slices, and maple syrup. A healthy weekend breakfast.

Tangy cream sorrel soup with leeks, potatoes, and fresh herbs, pureed silky smooth. A classic French potager soup with a bright, lemony bite that's ready in 40 minutes.

Veal stew Marengo style, a classic French rework of leftover veal stew with mushrooms, tomatoes, white wine, orange zest, and green olives. A bright, fast second-day dinner.

Classic French tomato basil soup made from scratch with fresh Roma tomatoes and topped with sautéed fennel, zucchini, and mushrooms. A vegetarian potage that's rustic, fragrant, and deeply satisfying.

Whole peeled oranges glazed in a candied citrus-zest syrup with cream of tartar, mace, and orange liqueur. A classic French dessert that chills to a glossy, fragrant finish.

Classic French Provencale sauce: a rich brown sauce brightened with chopped ripe tomato and fresh garlic. A versatile 3-ingredient pan sauce for steak, chicken, pasta, and roasted vegetables.

Ravioli with sweetbreads filling: a classic French-Italian preparation of ground veal sweetbreads, shoulder, shallots, and Cognac baked into a rich pasta stuffing. Old-world fine dining at home.

Mango charlotte with strawberry sauce: a tropical twist on the classic French molded dessert. Mango mousse set with gelatin, lined with ladyfingers, and served with fresh pureed strawberry coulis.

Chewy almond paste macaroons with crackled tops and tender centers, baked from a homemade four-day-aged paste of blanched almonds and egg whites. The classic Italian-style cookie before the French sandwich version took over.

Festive vegetable bake from the microwave with broccoli, cream of broccoli soup, and crunchy french fried onions on top. The classic green bean casserole spirit, ready in under 25 minutes.

An elegant French strawberry chibouste-style dessert: pastry cream lightened with Italian meringue, set with gelatin, molded against fresh strawberries over a thin genoise base. A patisserie classic at home.

Rack of lamb primeurs roasted over its own bones with thyme, then sauced with a deglazed pan jus and plated with spring baby vegetables. Classic French bistro dinner-party centerpiece.