Favorite French Summer Dishes

Happy summer everyone! It has been very hot here in Chicago the past few weeks. I don't know about you but when it's that hot I want to eat light. So it inspired me to share my favorite French summer dishes. Food makes me happy! There is nothing better than eating simple and tasty food to level up your mood.

I am from Provence and the cuisine over there is based on cooking lots of vegetables and fruits (the tomato being the queen of all them!) with plenty of olive oil, garlic and fish. I’m grateful for having grown up in a family, who knows how to cook well and for eating healthy food my all life. I spent my childhood going to the farmers market with my family twice a week, every single week to buy beautiful vegetables and delicious fruits full of sunshine! Food is the synonym of love and happiness to me. You cook for the people you love and it brings you joy. This is what I witnessed in my family.

There is nothing better than eating good homemade food while surrounded by the people you love! The way I remember my grandparents the most, was by spending a lot of time with them in the kitchen. I remember as a child helping my grandfather cut tomatoes and green onions for the salad he was making for lunch. This was a simple tomato salad with green onions, fresh basil and garlic in the seasoning, which was made up of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Well, let me tell you, that I remember the taste of the juicy tomatoes like if it was yesterday. This was the best tomato salad I ever had in my life! It’s a very simple salad but when you have high quality ingredients, it elevates a regular salad to an amazing salad. For me this sums up the cuisine from Provence: very simple yet very tasty.

If the tomato is the queen over there, then the garlic is the king! People put garlic in everything! Garlic is what gives an extra taste before considering the health benefits associated with it. Garlic is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, helping with digestion and boosting the immune system. Garlic is also a powerful antioxidant, that protects against cellular aging and cardiovascular disease. So my friends, it’s time to add garlic in your cooking, to live a long and healthy life! My grandfather used to rub a clove of garlic on a piece of bread, (baguette of course) he liked to add a dash of olive oil too. You guys have to try it! It’s so good! Ok enough blahblahblah you might think…I’m very talkative as I’ve told you!😉 You will find the recipes of my favorite French summer dishes below. Bon appetit!

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Salade Niçoise:

This is one of my favorite salads during the summer. I tend to make it for dinner.

Ingredients:

(Serves 2)

2 Green Peppers

6 Medium-Size Tomatoes (Tomatoes on the Vine)

8 Medium Radishes

2 Green Onions

4 Eggs

1 Can of Tuna (I buy the Solid White Albacore Tuna in water no salt added at Trader Joe’s)

Canned Anchovies (Cento Flat Fillet Anchovies in Olive Oil, 2 ounces at Trader Joe’s )

Black Olives

Instructions:

Start by boiling your eggs for 10 minutes. After you’ve dropped the eggs, cut the green peppers and tomatoes into small pieces, then slice the radishes in half and chop them again in half one more time. I prefer large pieces of radish for the tasty texture and dimension it adds to the dish. But that’s up to you, make thin slices if you prefer. Your eggs should be ready and you will cut them into small pieces. Once cut, add the tuna and hard boiled eggs in your salad bowl. Sprinkle chopped green onions and place the anchovies on top of the salad. Finish by adding a few black olives.

Seasoning:

I use extra virgin olive oil and squeeze the juice of a quarter of a lemon then I add salt and pepper. Very simple!

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Quiche Lauriane:

This is my version of Quiche Lorraine! It’s a lighter version with bacon instead of ham and there is no dough. It’s the perfect summer lunch. You can eat it cold too and pack it for a day at the pool or beach! I serve it with a green salad.

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

5 Eggs

500ml Milk

1 cup of Flour (120g)

12 oz Uncured Bacon (340g)

100g Shredded Gruyère Cheese ( I buy the Trader Joe’s Shredded Swiss Cheese & Gruyère Cheese)

Instructions:

Place all the ingredients except the bacon and cheese in a blender to mix. Slice the bacon into small pieces and grease your baking pan with butter. Lay the bacon out on the bottom of the pan. Pour the mixture from the blender in the baking pan and add the cheese on top. Do not mix it. Bake for 40 minutes at 410°F (210°C).

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Ratatouille Niçoise:

This is the well known dish from Provence. We serve it with fried eggs or fish in my family.

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

3 Medium-Size Tomatoes

2 Green Peppers

2 Eggplants

3 Zucchinis

3 Onions

1 Clove of Garlic

1 Garnished Bouquet made with Bay Leaves, Rosemary and Thyme

3 big spoons of Olive Oil

Salt + Pepper

Instructions:

Peel the skin of the tomatoes and remove the seeds, cut the tomatoes into medium-size pieces. Peel the zucchinis and eggplants and cut them into round thin slices. Cut the green peppers into long thin slices. Peel and chop the onions. Add the olive oil to a large pot and cook the onions over low heat until they take on a golden hue. Add the tomatoes and cook them for 3 to 4 minutes while stirring with a wooden spoon. Add salt, pepper and the finely mashed garlic. Then add the zucchinis, eggplants, green peppers and the garnished bouquet. Cover the pot and let simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.

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Pissaladière:

This is another dish from Provence: an onion tart made like a pizza. It’s a great appetizer and the perfect hors-d’oeuvre for a summer aperitif.

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

1 Kg of Onions (2.2 lbs): 2 1/2 big onions or 5 small/medium onions.

Olive Oil

Pizza Dough: combine 250g of flour (2 full cups) 3 big spoons of olive oil, salt and add warm water gradually while you mix the flour. It’s easy and quick to make your own pizza dough!

Instructions:

Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and cook onions for 3 minutes just to soften them and get them translucent. Once your dough is ready, spread the dough on your pizza pan lined with parchment paper, then add the slightly cooked onions. Some people add anchovies and black olives. I personally prefer without, but it’s up to you. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 to 30 minutes.

Check out the latest article on La French Girl to get more recipes. I’m sharing my ABSOLUTE favorite summer dish! Do you know what it is? I give you a clue, it’s another very famous dish from Provence!

What’s your favorite summer dish?! I would love to know! Please tell me in the comment section below! :-)

XO from your favorite French Girl on the Stack! 😉