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Salade d'endives aux noixChicory, walnut and apple salad

Across Picardy and the Nord, and over the border in Belgium, Belgian endive (chicory) is the winter salad, and this one appears after the main course at Sunday lunch or as a light supper from November to March. The pale, crisp leaves are cut into rings and tossed with sweet apple, toasted walnuts and a sharp mustard vinaigrette, so you get bitter, sweet and nutty in every mouthful. Many bistros add Roquefort; this version is vegan, and if you add cheese, note that Roquefort is made with animal rennet. A portion gives about 4 g of protein from the walnuts, so it is a side or starter. The most common mistake is slicing the endive too early: it browns at the cut edges, so dress it within 10 minutes of cutting. Chef's tip: cut out the small cone of core at the base of each endive; it holds most of the bitterness.

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BohémienneAubergine and tomato stew

Bohémienne is the older, simpler cousin of ratatouille, cooked in Avignon and the Vaucluse villages at the end of summer when aubergines and tomatoes are cheap and ripe. Just those two vegetables, with onion, garlic and plenty of olive oil, are stewed slowly until they melt into a soft, jammy confit that is eaten warm with bread, cold on toast, or beside an omelette. It is vegan and light, with about 3 g of protein per portion. The common mistake is hurrying it over a high heat: the aubergine catches before it softens, so keep the heat low and stir gently. Chef's tip: salt the aubergine cubes for 20 minutes and pat them dry; they then take up less oil and keep a silky texture.

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Fontainebleau (fromage blanc and whipped cream mousse)

Fontainebleau takes its name from the town south of Paris, whose cheese shops sold it in little muslin-wrapped pots for the weekend. It is a fresh-cheese dessert for late spring and summer, best when the first strawberries and raspberries arrive. Fromage blanc and whipped cream are folded together and left to drain in muslin, so the mousse firms up into a light, cloud-soft mound that tastes of fresh milk with a gentle tang. Serve it chilled with berries or a spoonful of red-fruit coulis, and a little extra sugar on the side. Some recipes fold in whisked whites; this one leaves them out entirely, because firmly whipped cream alone holds the air, and draining away the whey gives the mousse its shape. Chef's tip: drain the fromage blanc before you start; the common mistake is folding in a wet, runny cheese, which collapses the cream and leaves a puddle in the dish.

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Chin baung kyawStir-fried roselle leaves

Chin baung, the tart leaf of the roselle plant, is so loved in Myanmar that it is sometimes called the national vegetable, and chin baung kyaw is cooked in homes from Yangon to Mandalay as a sharp, garlicky side for rice and a bowl of light soup. The leaves collapse into a dark, tangy, almost jammy relish with bamboo shoot and chilli. The usual version has dried shrimp or a little fish sauce; this one is vegetarian, using fried shallots and a pinch of salt for savour. It is a side with about 3 g of protein per portion. The common mistake is under-cooking: the leaves should be fried until the liquid has gone and the oil separates, or the sourness tastes raw. If you can't find roselle leaves, use sorrel or spinach with a squeeze of lime. Chef's tip: let the garlic and shallots turn properly golden before the leaves go in; their sweetness balances the sourness.

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Hin gyoLight clear gourd soup

In Myanmar, no curry lunch or dinner, in Yangon or a village in the Shan hills, is complete without a bowl of hin gyo: a mild, clear 'sweet soup' sipped between mouthfuls of rich, oily curry to refresh the palate. This one uses bottle gourd, simmered with onion, garlic and plenty of black pepper. Homes often season it with dried shrimp or fish sauce; this vegetarian version gets its savoury depth from fried garlic and a little soy sauce instead. It is very light, with about 2 g of protein per bowl. The common mistake is overcooking the gourd until it collapses; take it off when it is translucent but still holds its shape. Chef's tip: crush the peppercorns coarsely just before adding them, because the pepper is the soul of this soup.

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Artichauts à la barigouleBraised artichokes

In Provence, artichauts à la barigoule is cooked in spring when the small violet artichokes come into the markets of Aix, Avignon and Marseille, and it is served warm as a starter or as a light main with bread. The trimmed artichokes are braised in olive oil with carrot, onion, garlic and herbs until tender in a fragrant, slightly tart liquor. The traditional braise uses white wine; this version is alcohol-free, using vegetable stock sharpened with white wine vinegar and lemon. It is vegan, with about 5 g of protein per portion, from the artichokes. The common mistake is trimming too timidly: any dark green leaf left on stays tough and stringy, so keep going until only the pale, tender leaves remain. Chef's tip: rub each artichoke with lemon as you trim and drop it straight into lemon water, or it will go brown within minutes.

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Potage cultivateurFarmer's vegetable soup

Potage cultivateur is the farmhouse soup of France, made in kitchens from Normandy to the Auvergne on cold evenings and eaten as a light supper with bread. The vegetables are cut into small, thin squares (the 'paysanne' cut), sweated slowly in butter, then simmered in water, so the broth stays clear and every spoonful has carrot, turnip, leek and potato. The old versions add bacon; this one is vegetarian. It is light, with about 4 g of protein per bowl; add a handful of white beans or serve with cheese on toast for more (choose a vegetarian cheese if you avoid animal rennet). The most common mistake is browning the vegetables: they should sweat gently until soft and shiny, never coloured. Chef's tip: cut every vegetable the same size, about 1 cm square and 3 mm thick, so they all cook in the same time.

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Salade de pissenlitsDandelion salad with warm vinaigrette

In Lorraine and around Lyon, the first tender dandelion leaves of March and April are gathered from meadows (or bought in bunches at the market) for a salad that marks the end of winter. The leaves are pleasantly bitter, and a hot vinaigrette poured over them wilts them slightly, with soft eggs to make it a light supper. The traditional version has crisp lardons; this vegetarian version uses toasted walnuts and a little of their oil for the same richness. A plate gives about 15 g of protein from the eggs and walnuts, so it is not a high-protein dish. The yolks stay runny, so use pasteurised eggs for anyone pregnant, very young, older or vulnerable, or boil the eggs for 10 minutes instead. The mistake to avoid is using big, old leaves from flowering plants; they are tough and harshly bitter. Chef's tip: soak the leaves in cold water for 30 minutes before drying them; it crisps them and tames some of the bitterness.

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TtoroBasque fish soup

Ttoro was the meal Basque fishermen in Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Ciboure made from the part of the catch they couldn't sell, and the town still holds a ttoro festival every autumn. A deep red broth of peppers, tomato and Espelette pepper is poured over pieces of hake and monkfish, mussels and prawns, with garlic toast on the side for dunking (use gluten-free bread if needed). A portion gives about 32 g of protein, from the fish and shellfish, for around 360 kcal. The common mistake is boiling the fish in the broth: it breaks into flakes, so the pieces are seared first and then only poached gently on top for a few minutes. Discard any mussel that stays open when tapped before cooking or stays shut after. Chef's tip: dust the fish in rice flour before searing; the light crust protects the fish in the broth and thickens it slightly.

70 minFrenchFishGluten free
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Œufs mimosaStuffed eggs with grated yolk

Œufs mimosa have been a starter in French bistros and on family tables for generations, served at Sunday lunch, on Easter platters and as a light supper with salad and bread. Hard-boiled eggs are halved, their yolks mashed with mayonnaise and mustard and piped back in, then a little yolk is grated over the top so it looks like the fluffy yellow flowers of the mimosa tree. They are naturally gluten free. The most common mistake is overboiling the eggs, which leaves a grey-green ring around the yolk and a sulphurous taste; 10 minutes and an ice bath is enough. Chef's tip: keep back one yolk just for grating, so the topping stays bright yellow and dry.

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Croûte aux champignonsCreamy mushrooms on toast

In the mountain villages of Savoie and the Jura, croûte aux champignons is a quick supper in autumn and through ski season: thick toasted bread topped with mushrooms cooked down in butter, a splash of dry white wine and cream, sometimes with a little melted local cheese on top. It is rich and earthy, and a green salad alongside is all it needs. The recipe uses white wine, which mostly cooks off but not entirely; for an alcohol-free version use vegetable stock with a squeeze of lemon. The most common mistake is pouring in the cream before the mushrooms have browned and the wine has reduced, which gives a thin, grey sauce. Chef's tip: rub the hot toast with a cut garlic clove so every bite is fragrant.

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TopfengolatschenSweet quark puff pastry squares

A Topfengolatsche is what Viennese office workers grab from the bakery on the way in, and what grandparents order with a Melange in a coffee house on a Sunday afternoon. The corners of a puff pastry square are folded over a lemony, vanilla-scented filling of Topfen (Austrian quark) with plump raisins, and the top gets a thin white glaze. It is flaky, light and not too sweet. Raisins are sometimes soaked in rum; warm water or orange juice works just as well, and the recipe below is alcohol-free. Wet quark is the classic problem, because it turns the filling runny and it leaks out in the oven. Chef's tip: hang the quark in a sieve lined with a clean cloth for an hour, or squeeze it, until it is as thick as soft cream cheese.

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Broyé du PoitouGiant butter biscuit

From the Poitou-Charentes region of western France, broyé is one huge, thick butter biscuit baked in a round and carried whole to the table. Tradition says you break it in the middle with a firm blow of the fist, and everyone grabs a jagged piece; farmhouse cooks served it at weddings and family lunches, and it still ends meals there with coffee or a glass of local pineau. It is crisp at the edges, slightly tender in the middle and tastes of salted butter. Some families add chopped candied angelica from Niort. The top is glazed with egg yolk for its shine; milk gives a softer sheen if you prefer no egg wash. Chef's tip: mark the top with a fork in a diamond pattern and press quite deep, because the lines spread as it bakes; a pale broyé is the common mistake, so bake on until it is evenly golden all over.

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Saumon en papilloteSalmon baked in paper parcel

Saumon en papillote is everyday French home cooking at its lightest: a fillet of salmon sealed in baking paper with ribbons of courgette and carrot, lemon and dill, so it steams in its own juices in the oven. Across France it is a favourite midweek dinner because there is almost no washing-up, and each person opens their own fragrant parcel at the table, ideally with boiled new potatoes or rice. The usual mistake is cutting the vegetables too thick, so the fish overcooks while they stay raw; slice them very thin. Chef's tip: fold and crimp the paper edges tightly all the way round, or the steam escapes and the salmon dries out.

25 minFrenchFishGluten free
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Haricots verts persillésGreen beans with garlic and parsley

Haricots verts persillés are the green beans that sit beside roast chicken, an omelette or a plate of potatoes in homes all over France, especially in June and July when fine beans are at their best. They are blanched until just tender, then tossed in foaming butter with a little garlic and lots of chopped parsley, so they stay bright green with a slight snap. Using olive oil instead of butter makes them vegan. The most common mistake is cooking the beans in too little water, so it stops boiling and they turn olive-grey; use a big pot of well-salted water. Chef's tip: cool the beans in iced water after blanching if you want to make them ahead, then warm them in the butter just before serving.

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Tarte au fromage blancBaked cheesecake tart

Alsatians call it Käsküeche, and it is the cake their pâtisseries in Strasbourg and Colmar sell by the tall wedge on Sunday mornings, to take home for dessert after lunch. Fromage blanc, eggs and a little crème fraîche are baked in a high-sided pastry case until the filling puffs well above the rim like a soufflé, then settles into a light, creamy, gently lemony cheesecake. It is much less sweet than an American cheesecake and is eaten plain, maybe with a coffee or a glass of cold milk. Taking it out of a hot oven straight into a cold kitchen is what makes it crack and sink badly. Chef's tip: switch the oven off at the end, prop the door open with a wooden spoon and let the tart cool inside for an hour.

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Velouté de courgettesSmooth courgette soup

French families make velouté de courgettes on summer and early-autumn evenings, when courgettes are cheap and plentiful, often blending in a few wedges of soft triangle cheese or a spoon of cream so children drink it happily. It is pale green, silky and mild, and ready in under half an hour; serve it with crusty bread and a piece of cheese. Some soft cheeses are made with animal rennet, so check the label or use a vegetarian cream cheese. The most common mistake is boiling the courgettes too long, which turns the soup a dull khaki; simmer only until just tender. Chef's tip: leave some of the green skin on but peel in stripes, so the colour stays bright without any bitterness.

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Baguette

Four ingredients and nothing else: since a 1993 decree, a loaf sold in France as a baguette de tradition may contain only flour, water, salt and leavening. Parisians buy one or two a day, warm from the boulangerie, and the end of the loaf rarely makes it home uneaten. A good one has a thin, shattering, deep golden crust, an open, creamy crumb and a faint nutty sweetness from a long, slow rise. Tear it for butter and jam at breakfast, split it for a jambon-beurre or a cheese sandwich, or put it on the table with soup, salad and a cheese board. Shaping is where most home bakers go wrong: pressing all the air out while rolling the dough long gives a tight, cottony crumb, so handle it lightly and let the bench rest do the work. Chef's tip: cut the slashes almost lengthways, at a shallow angle with the blade nearly flat, and overlap each one by a third; straight-down, crosswise cuts just open into flat scars instead of the raised 'ears' you want.

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Pain de mieSoft square sandwich loaf

Ask a Paris café what goes into a croque-monsieur and the answer is pain de mie, the 'crumb bread' baked in a lidded tin so it comes out as a neat square block. Shut away from the oven's heat, the dough rises against the lid into a fine, soft, close crumb with a thin, pale golden crust that barely needs trimming. French children take it to school as tartines with butter and chocolate spread, it makes the best croques, French toast and canapés, and it is the loaf to choose for neat cucumber sandwiches. Milk and butter keep it tender for several days. The tricky moment is the final rise: if the dough reaches the rim before the lid goes on, it squeezes out of the seams and bakes with a dense band; too little rise and the corners come out rounded. Chef's tip: put the lid on when the dough is about 1 cm below the rim, and grease the underside of the lid as well as the tin so the block turns out cleanly.

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RohlíkSalt and caraway breakfast roll

Ask a Czech or Slovak what they ate for breakfast as a child and the answer is usually a rohlík: a long, slim roll rolled up from a triangle of dough, sold for a few crowns at every bakery and supermarket from Prague to Bratislava. It has a thin, crisp golden crust scattered with coarse salt and caraway, and a soft, tight spiral inside. People eat it with butter and jam, with a spread such as egg or bean pomazánka, with a cup of white coffee, or simply dunked in a mug of cocoa. This version uses sunflower oil, so it is vegan. Rolling the triangles loosely is the usual mistake; the spiral opens in the oven and the roll splits. Chef's tip: stretch each triangle gently by its point as you roll it up, which keeps the coil tight and gives the long, even shape.

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CroquemboucheCaramel-bound choux puff tower

At a French wedding, christening or first communion, the croquembouche ('crunch in the mouth') arrives at the end of the meal: a tall cone of choux puffs filled with vanilla pastry cream, stuck together with amber caramel and wrapped in spun sugar threads. Guests crack puffs off with a knife or the back of a spoon, so each bite is crisp caramel, light pastry and cold, smooth cream. Pâtissiers often flavour the cream with orange liqueur; it is written here with vanilla only, and you can add 2 tablespoons of liqueur to the cooled cream. Underbaked choux is the classic mistake, because pale puffs go soft and collapse under the weight, so bake them until they are deep golden and dry inside; and since hot caramel burns badly, keep a bowl of iced water beside you and work with care. Chef's tip: build the tower on the day, no more than 4 hours before serving; the caramel softens in the fridge and humid air.

210 minFrenchBaking
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Bouillie (French baby cereal porridge)

In France, la bouillie is the warm cereal porridge that joins a baby's morning or evening milk at around six months. It is simply the baby's usual milk, breast milk or formula, thickened with plain infant cereal or fine oat or rice flour, and given from a spoon, or thinner from a bottle as many French families do at bedtime. It is creamy and mild. It contains milk from the formula, and gluten if you use oat or wheat cereal; there is no egg, nuts, soya, sesame or fish. Chef's tip: choose a cereal with no added sugar or flavourings; you can add a spoon of fruit purée for sweetness later.

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Œuf et mouillettes (egg and soldiers for toddlers)

In France, l'œuf à la coque with mouillettes, buttered bread fingers, is the gentle supper or Sunday breakfast every child knows. For babies and toddlers the egg is boiled a little longer, until the white is firm and the yolk is set but still soft and fudgy, so little ones can scoop and spread it rather than dip into a runny centre. It contains egg, gluten (wheat) and milk (butter). Chef's tip: start with eggs at room temperature so they don't crack in the hot water, and lower them in gently on a spoon.

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Gâteau à la brocheSpit cake

At weddings and village fairs in the Aveyron and the Pyrenees, gâteau à la broche is a performance: a wooden cone turns on a spit in front of a wood fire while a cook ladles batter over it, layer after layer, for hours. The drips set into the spiky ridges that make the tall, hollow cake look like a fir tree. Slices have thin golden rings, a soft, buttery, eggy crumb and a scent of orange-flower water; it is eaten at the end of the feast with sweet wine for the adults or coffee. Older recipes use rum where this one uses orange-flower water and lemon, and at home a foil-wrapped rolling pin turned under a hot grill does the job of the spit. Pouring too much batter at once is the easy mistake: thick layers stay raw inside, so ladle thinly and let each one colour. Chef's tip: keep the batter at room temperature and stir it each time; cold batter clings badly and drips off in sheets.

140 minFrenchBaking
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