Traditional Home did a wonderful piece with Ariane and her daughter Alix a few years ago. It was recently made available on their website, so we thought it would be a nice Throwback Thursday post.
For the article, Ariane and Alix cooked a typical Gascon Sunday meal at home, to show how the traditions continue across generations and oceans. As you would expect, Ariane used D’Artagnan products like duck breast, jambon de Bayonne, truffle butter, and chicken.
Get a peek into Ariane’s kitchen; read the full article here, and get the recipes.
Their meal celebrates uncomplicated pleasures, especially that of cooking together.”Something wonderful starts with something simple,” says Ariane.
A favorite springtime recipe, available in the article, is duck breast with fava beans, which Ariane enjoyed back in her native Gascony.
Another simple classic is croque monsieur. “The best part of the sandwich is the aroma when it comes out of the oven,” says Ariane. “This sandwich is the sum of its parts. Make sure you experience each of the ingredients.”
Croque Monsieur Au Jambon De Bayonne
- 1 loaf baguette-style French bread
- 4 tablespoons butter or truffle butter, softened
- 8 ounces jambon de Bayonne or prosciutto, thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh arugula or spinach
- 4 ounces Comté or Gruyère cheese, sliced
Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut baguette in 4 equal sections. Slice each section in half horizontally. Spread butter on cut sides of bread. Top bottoms of bread with jambon de Bayonne, arugula, and half the cheese. Top with top halves of bread. Top bread with remaining cheese. Place sandwiches on baking sheet; bake 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Makes 4 servings.
And lest you think it’s all duck fat and foie gras in Gascony, there is this gorgeous cherry claufouti, an easy dessert that doesn’t require precise measurements but will always yield wonderful results. “You have to trust yourself when you cook, allow yourself to make a mistake, knowing you can fix it, and get on with it,” Alix says.
For more about Gascony and its culture and cuisine, check our blog post with the recent New York Times article on the subject. Everyone is falling in love with Gascony!
Traditional Home article written by Stephen Exel and Jessica Thomas, Photos by Quentin Bacon