Dining trends are sure to come and go, but French cuisine will always be in style. It’s classic. It’s elegant. It’s like the little black dress of the food world.
“Traditional French food is not about trying to create flavours you’ve never tried before,” says Guillaume Brahimi, one of Australia’s most celebrated French chefs. “We’re just taking the best produce of the season and cooking it very simply.”
When asked to share his favourite French dishes with delicious., Brahimi admits the list would be far too long for one magazine to hold, but these recipes are the ones he loves to make most when it’s cold outside. Because even after a career spanning more than four decades (beginning at the age of 14), this chef will never tire of spending time in the kitchen.
“It is my happy place,” he says. “There is nothing better than the smell of cooking at home. I remember when I was a kid, we would have roast chicken on Wednesdays. When I came home from school and opened the door, I could smell the roast chicken. It was like my security blanket: like, hey – everything is okay.”
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SALADE LYONNAISE
SERVES 4
500g kipfler potatoes, washed, peeled120g duck fat (from specialty grocers and selected supermarkets), at room temperature200g pancetta, cut into matchsticks¼ cup (60ml) red wine vinegar2 tbs extra virgin olive oil2 tbs sherry vinegar1 tsp Dijon mustard1 frisée (curly endive, from greengrocers),2 eschalots, thinly sliced into rings1 bunch chives, cut into 2cm lengths
