1. Gougères — The Perfect Aperitif Bite
If I had to choose one plate when cheerful friends drop by for an aperitif I would definitively cook Gougères. They are delicious, everyone loves them. Made with eggs, flour and cheese and served with white or red wine, sparkling wine or cassis, it is the dish of improvisation.
2. Boeuf Bourguignon — The Dish Burgundy is Famous For
With a little more of time and preparation, the plate I mostly cook for my friends and family is Boeuf Bourguignon. I source the beef from a farm close to my house, where they raise Bazadaise breed of cattle. The wine to cook this beautiful meat is obviously Domaine de Bellene’s pinot noir. Then, 3 hours cooking in “cocotte” (casserole), just the perfect time. I may serve potatoes or fresh pasta with this beef.
3. Oeufs en Meurette — A Burgundian Classic
Here is my third favourite local recipe: Oeufs en meurette.
It is quicker than boeuf bourguignon, with the same Wine sauce. I cook it with red or white wine. The eggs from my own hens taste so much better !! Other ingredients are importants, shallots, garlic, good bread, and herbs from the garden. Oeufs en meurette makes the perfect first plate, but here in Burgundy, it is enough for a good supper. Rich and tasty !
4. Poulet Gaston Gérard — Sunday Lunch at its Best
For a sunday family meal, I would cook a Poulet Gaston Gerard, which is a chicken in a mustard and crème fraiche sauce. I would choose a good chicken in Bresse, which is the neighbouring region, and cook it in a cocotte, to keep all the flavour and juice. I usually serve it with green beans and asparagus. This old and simple recipe was born in 1930 in Dijon
5. Gratin de Rhubarbe — A Family Dessert
Lastly, for a desert, I would choose the Gratin de Rhubarbe, inspired from my grand-mother and mother’s recipe. This is close to what the British call a crumble. As I have the rhubarb in my garden, I cook it when the plant is ready to harvest, and can eventually add some strawberries if there are some to gather.
Come Cook These Dishes With Me
These 5 traditional Burgundy dishes are part of everyday life in Burgundy. The seasonal rhythms, the local producers, the family traditions passed down through generations.
If you would like to learn how to cook one of them — or all five — I would love to welcome you into my kitchen near Beaune. We will cook together, taste together, and sit down to enjoy what we have made.