Food for Thought ...

Written by Lucy Ferris, Cuisine Editor

Whilst living in Paris during my year abroad, I have been lucky enough to learn more about French winter cuisine. Not only has this been a great way to try new flavours , but also to learn about the culture and history behind these dishes.  Fond of a house meal, and living with budding chefs, this has also been the perfect recipe for us to bond as a house!

This article will draw on some meals that I have shared with my housemates, discovering the history and culture behind them. These dishes are all very much winter dishes. I wonder if this is due to the fact that eating in French summer is almost exclusively either in deliciously cheap restaurants, or sharing a baguette, meat, and cheese laid out on the grass underneath the Eiffel Tower -  family style! 

​Pumpkin risotto

Fond of the festive spirit, my housemate Vittorio cooked a delicious risotto during Halloween week. Throughout the evening, we learnt about the difference between a potimarron and a citrouille; both members of the squash family. This dish was made with potimarron, a slightly smaller and flatter pumpkin than the type used to carve at Halloween. The etymology of the vegetables' names is indicative of this; the scientific name of la citrouille is cucurbita, invoking competition with it’s modern adaption of citrouille veritable (‘the true pumpkin'! ). The potimarron unfortunatley is stuck with the more dull classification of ‘winter squash’. However, this name by no means a reflection of the taste of the potimarron; rich, hearty, and filling, this dish was truly spectacular! Interestingly, the potimarron is the preferred vegetable of the two to cook with, favoured also in a soup. Cast your eye below for Vittorio's risotto recipe if you fancy trying it for yourself! 

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Ingrediants : 
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Diced ​potimarron; 400g
Risotto rice : 250g
Shelled shrimp : 500g
White wine : 80 ml
Parmesan : 40 g
1 shallot, finely diced
1 garlic clove crushed, to taste
1 vegetable stock cube 
Margarine : 10 g ( measure with your heart)
Olive Oil : 7 ml

 
​Recipe : 

1. Heat a large pan of water to boil, this will be used to cook the risotto rice. 
2. Blend the diced potimarron with a mixer/ blender for about 30 seconds to create a thick consistency, with still visible pieces/chunks of potimarron
3. In a casserole dish, heat some oil and the margarine, adding in the thin shallots and the potimarron after a minute
4. Then add the rice after 4-5mins, being careful to stir continuously
5. After 1 minute add in the glass of white wine (and why not pour one for yourself too!)
6. After a minute turn down the flame, add the crushed garlic, the vegetable stock cube, and pour hot water over the top
7. Leave this on a low heat for around 20 mins, adding in hot water so that it maintains a continuous level, until the rice has fully absorbed
8. Whilst this is cooking, fry off the shrimp in some oil 
9. When the rice is fully cooked, add in parmesan, and some black pepper to taste
10. Place all in a bowl to serve , with coriander and parmesan garnishes to taste​

​Raclette

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You cannot claim that you don’t like French cuisine until you have tried raclette. Granted, it’s not for the lactose-free that walk amongst us, however this dish is truly a hearty and delicious winter dish. This aptly named Savoyard dish, originating from the French/Swiss dialect from the verb ‘racler’, meaning ‘to scrape’, is very popular in France. Typically served alongside boiled potatoes, melted cheese is scraped over your plate, traditionally accompanied with cold meats and pickles. Despite this meal traditionally being consumed with black tea in order to aid digestion, it’s very popular in France to enjoy a raclette with white wine. Whilst raclette is typically a huge wheel of cheese cooked over an open fire, my house in the 13th arrondissement adapted to use the modern contraption of the individual cheese slice panels (pictured above). In true French fashion, this meal is designed to last the whole evening, slowly eating and cooking at your own pace. It's further a very social event, evidenced in its sharing nature. 

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Croziflette

Another cheesy one from the Savoy regions of France; the croziflette. This delicious dish does not require many ingredients; just crozets pasta, cream, onions, reblochon cheese (the key ingredient!), and bacon. Originating from the French alps, this is a hearty dish that is guaranteed to sustain you for your après-ski after a long day out on the slopes! This is actually a twist in the better-known and often confused tartiflette. I personally prefer the croziflette as it’s made with a special type of filling pasta as opposed to potatoes, thus giving it a warmer feel and a better texture. This crozet pasta is made from buckwheat, however it can be found under many different names, such as croêju, croezu, and croezet. Relatively quick and easy to prepare, this dish could best be compared to a British pasta bake, however be careful with food comparisons or Gindo D'Acampo might have something to say...

I hope that this has provided a deeper insight into French winter cuisine, and maybe even some inspiration for your next dinner party.

​Bon appétit!