Buckwheat, a staple ingredient in Brittany.

I have always had a fondness for alternative flours, especially buckwheat flour. Buckwheat, known in French as “blé noir” or “sarrasin”, is a central ingredient in Brittany cooking. It features in many of our local specialties, like savory buckwheat crepes or the earthy kig ha farz meat stew. I enjoyed this flour all throughout my childhood in France, and I have always loved it for its distinct earthy and nutty flavours. 

Buckwheat flour is gluten-free which makes it a good choice for anybody with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease. It is packed with nutrients and versatile. It is also widely available and a great choice for anyone just starting to play around in the kitchen with alternative flours. 

However, note that these buckwheat sablés aren’t gluten-free since they use a combination of both buckwheat and all-purpose flour.

Notes on Buckwheat flour in the US/Canada vs. France 

Since starting this blog, I have had a lot of people ask me about buckwheat flour. The question that I get the most is what brand/type of buckwheat flour to buy in the US/Canada to recreate the same taste and look as in France? Most people point out that buckwheat flour is much darker in US/Canada, resulting in darker results in baked goods and crepes.  

What I have found from my experience of juggling back and forth between North American and French flours is that the French buckwheat flour is usually sold in a refined form, whereas buckwheat flour in North America is usually left whole grain. 

• Un-refined North American buckwheat flour found in North America is grainier and darker in color. It will for instance create sablés or savory crêpes that are much darker in color and with a more assertive taste. Examples of North American whole-grain buckwheat flours are Bob’s Red Mill Organic Buckwheat Flour and the one you can find in bulk at a store like Bulk Barn. 
• Refined French buckwheat flour is usually powderier in texture and lighter in color. An example of French buckwheat flour is Treblec’s, which is sold everywhere in France, and online. This is probably one of the most famous brands, and the one that I grew up enjoying for making baked goods.   

I personally have no objection using either kind of these buckwheat flours – whole grain or refined. I just know what to expect. For instance, I often baked these Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies while in Canada, and they ended up darker and earthier in taste since I was using whole grain buckwheat flour.

The sablés pictured here look lighter in color as they were made using French Treblec’s flour (since I recently moved back to France).

How to store these buckwheat sablés:

• Once completely cooled, you can store the sablés in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. I think they tend to get better and better every day as their flavors blend and develop.
• These sablés also freeze very well. Place them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notes:

• A good quality butter will go along way for this sablé cookie, since the buttery taste is so prevalent. Ideally opt for a European butter with a higher fat content.
• The key to getting a delicate sablé texture is to not over-beat your dough. At first, the mixture will seem very dry but as you keep gently beating, it will bring out the moisture and the dough will come together in a rough and thick ball. As soon as it comes together, stop mixing.
• After being shaped into a log, the dough needs to rest for at least 2 hours in the fridge to firm and become sliceable. Ideally, leave it in the fridge overnight, which also helps developing the flavors.
• I prefer to use roughly chopped dark chocolate. But chocolate chips work perfectly too.

You may also like: 

• Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt
• Brownies with Pecans and Fleur de Sel
• Chouquettes (French Sugar Puffs)
• Roasted Hazelnut Financiers
• Homemade Hazelnut Chocolate Spread 
• Chocolate Chip Cookies with Fleur de Sel
• Hazelnut Chocolate Sea Salt Granola

Buckwheat Sablés with Chocolate Chips

Print Recipe

Serves: 2 dozens Prep Time: 20 Minutes + chilled overnight Cooking Time: 12 Minutes 12 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.6/5

( 5 voted )

Ingredients

1 ¼ cup (156g) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (95g) buckwheat flour (*see notes above)
¼ tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks/225g) unsalted butter, at room temperature - soft.
2/3 cup (133g) granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup (116g) dark chocolate, roughly chopped - or chocolate chips

Instructions

Step 1 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, buckwheat flour and salt.

Step 2 - In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter with the sugar and vanilla until fluffy and lighter in color, about 1 minute.

Step 3 – Add the flours and chopped chocolate all at once and beat until just incorporated.

Step 4 - Transfer the dough onto a floured working surface and, with your hands, form the dough into a long log about (2 inches in diameter). The dough is dense, so if you find it too hard to shape in one long log, shape it in two short logs. Wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least two hours, but ideally overnight.

The day of baking, pre-heat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 5 – Take the log(s) out of the fridge at least 1 hour before, so it is not too tough to work with. Unwrap, and using a sharp cooking knife, slice the dough into ¼ inch thick coins. If you hit chocolate chunks with your knife, the dough might crumble a bit – do not worry, you can easily reshape the dough coins with your fingers.

Step 6 - Place the coins on the baking sheets, at least 1½ inches (3.8 cm) apart.

Bake for 12 minutes or until the sablés are golden brown underneath. Take out of the oven, leave the sablés on the sheet for 2 minutes and transfer them onto a cooling rack.

 

Notes...

This recipe was first published on the blog in January 2018. It was then updated on May 2022. I wanted to update the photos and add friendlier instructions. I also slightly reduced the amount of sugar and found that chopped chocolate (vs. chocolate chips) works better.

The post Buckwheat Sablés with Chocolate appeared first on Pardon Your French.

If you think chocolate chip cookies couldn’t get any better – just wait, and try! 

Buckwheat, a staple ingredient in Brittany.

I have always had a fondness for alternative flours, especially buckwheat flour. Buckwheat, known in French as “blé noir” or “sarrasin”, is a central ingredient of Brittany cooking. It features in many of our local specialties, like savory buckwheat crepes or the earthy kig ha farz meat stew. I enjoyed this flour all throughout my childhood in France and I have always loved it for its distinct earthy and nutty flavours. 

Buckwheat flour is gluten-free which makes it a good choice for anybody with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease. It is packed with nutrients and versatile. It is also widely available and a great choice for anyone just starting to play around in the kitchen with alternative flours. 

Notes on Buckwheat flour in the US/Canada and in France 

Since starting this blog, I have had a lot of people asking me about buckwheat flour. The question that I get the most is what brand/type of buckwheat flour to buy in the US/Canada to recreate the same taste and look as in France? Most people point out that buckwheat flour is much darker in US/Canada, resulting in darker results in baked goods and crepes.  

What I have found from my experience of juggling back and forth between North American and French flours is that the French buckwheat flour is usually sold as refined, whereas buckwheat flour in North America is usually left whole-grain. 

The un-refined buckwheat flour found in North America is grainier and darker in color. It will for instance give you crepes that are much darker in color and with a more assertive taste. Examples of such North American whole-grain buckwheat flours are Bob’s Red Mill Organic Buckwheat Flour and the one you can find in bulk at a store like Bulk Barn. 

Refined French buckwheat flour is usually more fine, almost powdery and lighter in color. An example of French buckwheat flour is Treblec’s, which is sold everywhere in France, and online. This is probably one of the most famous brands, and one that I grew up enjoying for making crepes.  

I personally have no objection using either kind of these buckwheat flour – whole grain or refined. I just know what to expect. For instance, these Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies will end up darker and earthier in taste when using whole grain buckwheat flour. Or they will end up lighter in color and more subtle in taste if using French Treblec’s flour (which I always have a bag of in my pantry!). I love both results – so I am fine with this difference. 

But if I make a batch of buckwheat crêpes and want them to be like the ones I enjoy in France, I make sure to use French Treblec’s buckwheat flour.

A few more cooking tips: 

• • Make sure you use unsalted butter. This recipe calls for adding 2 teaspoons of sea salt flakes (or fleur de sel) which will provide plenty enough salt for the cookies. If you use salted butter, your cookies will likely be too salty in taste. 
  • Melt the butter about 30 minutes before you start the recipe. Set aside and let it cool down to room temperature.
  • Choose good quality sea salt flakes such as Maldon.  Fleur de sel is also a great choice, such as Le Saunier de Camargue.
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips are perfect here. Milk chocolate chips work great too. I also love these cookies with pecans – in this case, use 1 cup of chocolate chips and ½ cup chopped pecans. 

I hope you’ll love these Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt as much as I do! 

You may also like:

• Breton Salted Butter Sables
• Buckwheat Sables with Chocolate Chips
• Lavender Sable Cookies

Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt

Print Recipe

Serves: 16-18 cookies Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes 15 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.4/5

( 13 voted )

Ingredients

10 tbsp/1.25 stick (140g) unsalted, melted and cooled
2/3 cup (130g) brown sugar
1/3 cup (65g) sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (40g) buckwheat flour
¼ tsp baking soda
2 tsp sea salt flakes, divided
1 ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Step 1 - In a large mixing bowl, mix together the melted butter, brown sugar and sugar until fully incorporated and shiny. Add the egg and vanilla extract, and mix again until fully incorporated. 

Step 2 - Add the all-purpose flour, buckwheat flour, baking soda and 1 tsp of sea salt flakes. Fold in these dry ingredients until just combined – do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips. 

Step 3 -   Pre-heat your oven to 350F (180C) with two racks centered.  Prepare two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets. Sprinkle the rest of the sea salt flakes on top of each ball. 

Bake for 15 minutes, rotating pans halfway, until the cookies are just set and lightly golden on the edges. Let cool for 2 minutes onto the baking sheets and transfer onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Did you make this recipe?

I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment below, rate the recipe and/or share a photo on Instagram: tag @pardonyourfrench  and hashtag it #pardonyourfrench.  Bon Appetit! 

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The post Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt appeared first on Pardon Your French.

Risotto, just like pasta or pizza, is a French home-cook’s favorite and you’ll find it served in many restaurants across France, with cooks often putting their own French twist on it.

I love a simple rice risotto. But I might love a buckwheat risotto even more – especially in the Fall. The use of buckwheat groats (so dear to Brittany, my home) instead of rice, brings amazing nutty notes and an even greater satisfying factor to this dish, in my opinion. And one of my favorite ways to dress up a risotto is with a “Forestière sauce”, a typically French sauce made of mixed mushrooms and crème fraiche, all perfectly suited for Fall.

Cooking notes: 

• Note that a classic French “Forestière sauce” usually include more crème fraiche. I chose to cut down on the amount of crème fraiche to have a lighter sauce, and let the creaminess of the risotto shine more. 
• The combination of shitake, oyster, cremini mushrooms work great for a Forestière sauce; but you can opt for different mushrooms if you wish or stick to only one kind (ie. only cremini). 
• I used sage to compliment the dish, but other herbs such as parsley (flat-leaf or curly) or chives will work very well too. 
• For the making of the risotto, always prefer a dry white wine. 

Buckwheat Risotto with Mushroom Forestière Sauce

Print Recipe

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 40 Minutes 40 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 3.7/5

( 11 voted )

Ingredients

4 tbsp (60g) butter
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and diced
5 sages leaves, chopped
5 cups (375g) mixed mushrooms (shitake, oyster, cremini), washed and sliced
2 tbsp (30g) crème fraiche
1 1/3 cup (250g) buckwheat groats (kasha)
1 cup (250ml) white wine
2 cups (500ml) chicken stock
½ tsp ground black pepper
Parseman, for topping

Instructions

Make the sauce. Melt 2 tablespoons (30g) of butter in a large frying pan over medium heat and cook the onions, garlic, mushrooms and sage for about 10 minutes (until the mushrooms are fully cooked through). Stir in the crème fraiche and set aside. Cover with foil to keep warm.

Make the risotto. Melt 2 tablespoons (30g) of butter in another large frying pan over medium heat. Add the buckwheat groats and toast them for 2 minutes. Pour in the white wine, bring to a simmer and let evaporate for about 5 minutes (until half of the liquid is left). Slowly pour in the stock while stirring, in small additions, until the buckwheat is fully cooked (about 25 minutes).

For serving, scoop the risotto onto each plate and top with the mushroom sauce. Top with some shaved Parmesan and one or two leaves of sage for decoration. Season to taste.

If you try this Buckwheat Risotto with Mushroom Forestière Sauce recipe, let me know! Leave a comment or share a photo using #pardonyourfrench on Instagram.

Bon Appétit!

If you like Buckwheat, you might like: 

• Brittany-Style Buckwheat Pancakes and my Favorite Apple Compote Recipe

• Buckwheat Crepes from Brittany (Gluten-free)

• Kig Ha Farz, Breton stew with Buckwheat dumplings

• Buckwheat Sables with Chocolate Chips

The post Buckwheat Risotto with Mushroom Forestière Sauce appeared first on Pardon Your French.

They are a little less commonly found in restaurants in France: in fact, many crêpe restaurants (aka. “crêperies”) will label their crêpes as “galettes” when they are in fact the classic thin crêpes. So if you are in France, and looking for these thicker “galettes”, make sure you ask the crêpe maker which style they make.

Just like a pancake, and not a crêpe, these are not meant to be folded or rolled up, but simply topped with the ingredients of your choosing. They are traditionally thought of as savory, but in this recipe, they are deliciously sweet, topped with my favorite homemade apple compote recipe.

So what makes it my favorite apple compote recipe?

• I use a variety of apples. Just like with most of my apple baking projects, I like to use a mix of different apple varieties to bring interesting flavors and textures. A Granny Smith will bring tartness and acidity, while a Pink Lady will bring more sweetness, and so on.
• It includes vanilla. Most apple desserts in North America call for cinnamon and nutmeg, but it is more common in France to use vanilla. In this compote, the vanilla brings a perfect smoothness and elevates the natural sweetness of the apples (so you don’t need to use a lot of sugar with it).
• It’s chunky! Not over-mixing the compote and leaving hunks of apple still visible will create a chunky compote with a more satisfying texture.

Serve the compote warm, or cooled on top of a warm buckwheat pancake with a sprinkle of chopped walnuts and a extra drizzle of honey! A great breakfast, brunch, dessert or humble treat, at any time of the day.

Brittany-Style Buckwheat Pancakes and my Favorite Apple Compote Recipe

Print Recipe

Serves: 8 galettes Prep Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes 30 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.5/5

( 2 voted )

Ingredients

For the buckwheat pancakes:

1 cup buckwheat flour
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¼ cup 2% milk
1 ¼ cup water
1 tbsp butter

For the Apple compote:

3 pounds of apples of mixed varieties (Granny Smith, Gala, Pink Lady, etc.), peeled, cored and cut in 1-inch chunks
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ scraped vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp honey

For serving: chopped walnuts and extra honey

Instructions

Make the Compote. Combine all the ingredients in a large pot over low heat. Cook for about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the apples are tender (but chunks are still visible).

Let cool for at least 3 hours before serving (or before placing it into the fridge).

Make the Buckwheat Galettes. In a large bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour, baking soda and salt. Combine together the milk and water, and slowly pour them into the dry ingredients, whisking continuously as you go, until you have a smooth batter. Melt a knob of butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add 1/3 cup of batter and tip the pan to spread it around. Once bubbles form on the surface and create tiny holes, loosen the edges with a spatula and gently flip it over. Cook for another minute and transfer to a plate. Cover with a damp kitchen cloth while you make the others.

For serving, top each warm galette with a generous amount of apple compote, a few chopped walnuts and a drizzle of honey. 

If you try this Buckwheat pancakes and apple compote recipe, let me know! Leave a comment or share a photo on Instagram. 

And if you enjoy this recipe, you can try this buckwheat pancakes recipe from Auvergne – another delicious regional recipe!

The post Brittany-Style Buckwheat Pancakes and my Favorite Apple Compote Recipe appeared first on Pardon Your French.

The green beans, cherry tomatoes and potatoes make this dish very reminescent of a Salade Nicoise. But the addition of toasted buckwheat groats (also called Kasha) brings in a large dose of earthiness to it. Buckwheat is more commonly enjoyed in the form of flour in France (especially in Brittany, as featured in the classic buckwheat crepes) but it also features in several gratin recipes as groats (often paired with leeks). And despite its name, buckwheat doesn’t contain any wheat nor gluten.

Kasha is also high in fiber and good proteins, which means you can enjoy this salad as a main rather than a simple side if you wish.

Another favourite of mine featured in this salad is the French cornichon. These small crunchy French-style pickles are slightly more acidic and less sweet than big US-style pickles, and I like to think they are more refined. I throw them in lots of salads in the Summer and they are delicious in sandwiches as well, of course.

This recipe is not a French Classic, but rather a salad that features french-loved ingredients – kasha, grainy mustard and cornichons- which I think all work deliciously together here. And I like to think this is another way to show you that French cuisine doesn’t often comply by strict rules, and that the French’s eating philosophy is usually not all about French food, but more about enjoying food the French way!

My Cooking Notes:

• Kasha is the name for pre-toasted buckwheat groats (I usually purchase mine at the organic store, at Bulkbarn or buy the Bob’s Red Mill one at the grocery store). If you can only get your hands on buckwheat groats, you can easily roast them yourself: place groats in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring for five minutes, until browned.  
• Because they are nice and small, rainbow potatoes are usually enjoyed roasted, but I think they work great boiled in this recipe. You can of course opt for any potato variety of your choosing (waxy potatoes, like red bliss or new potatoes are always better for potato salads).

Kasha Green Bean Potato Salad

Print Recipe

Serves: 4 people Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 45 Minutes 45 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.0/5

( 3 voted )

Ingredients

1 cup (170g) raw, toasted buckwheat groats (kasha).
2 tbsp (30g) butter
1 lb (approx 500g) Small Rainbow potatoes
1 2/3 cups (250g) green beans
1 2/3 cup (250g) cherry tomatoes, halved
10-12 cornichons, chopped
1 tbsp (14ml) olive oil
2 tbsp grainy mustard
Salt, pepper
Optional: a small handful of microgreens for dressing.

Instructions

For the kasha: Rinse and drain the buckwheat groats well. In a medium sauce pan, combine buckwheat groats with 1 3/4 cups water, 1 tbsp butter and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer on low for 18-20 minutes. Just like with rice, you should hear hissing while it’s cooking and it will get quiet when it’s done. Stir in the additional 1 tablespoon of butter.

For the potatoes: Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, add cold water to about an inch above the potatoes and sprinkle with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10-12 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain and rinse under cold water (to stop the cooking process). Cut the potatoes in quarters.  

For the green beans: Place the green beans in a large saucepan, add cold water to about an inch above the green beans and sprinkle with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 12-14 minutes until the green beans are fork tender. Drain and rinse under cold water (to stop the cooking process). Halve the beans, if they’re too long.

In a large salad bowl, combine the cooked kasha, potatoes and green beans (all at room temperature), the cherry tomatoes and cornichons. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of grainy mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Mix, and serve with some micro-greens on top.

If you try this Kasha Green Bean Potato Salad recipe let me know! Leave a comment or share a photo using #pardonyourfrench on Instagram.

Bon Appétit!

The post Kasha Green Bean Potato Salad appeared first on Pardon Your French.

They are the quintessence of traditional Brittany cuisine, and if you’re visiting this beautiful North-Western French region, going to a “creperie” to enjoy one (or two, or three…) of these buckwheat crepes is an inevitable must-do.

The recipe

Made with the simplest of ingredients (buckwheat flour, egg, salt and water), these 100% buckwheat crepes are the most authentic savoury French crepe recipe you’ll find (as opposed to the “crêpes de froment” – wheat flour crepes- that are meant to be enjoyed with sweet toppings).

The most classic variation (one you’ll always find at the top of a creperie menu) is the “crêpe complete” which includes ham, cheese (usually gruyere) and an egg (the egg is either done “mirroir”-sunny-side up– or “brouillé” –scrambled).

Another common variation in Brittany is the galette-saucisse (a specialty from the city of Rennes) where a grilled sausage is wrapped in the crepe and enjoyed with your hands (like a hot-dog). Mushrooms, French andouille (tripe sausage), and caramelized onions are also very popular toppings.

Although, I have to confess I often love to finish off my meal with a buckwheat crepe for dessert, topped with melted chocolate…

Cooking notes:

• Modern variations of this recipe add some wheat flour to provide some gluten and make the crepe more forgiving. To do so, switch a third of the total amount of flour (2/3 cups) with regular wheat flour. While not as authentic, this ratio will give you a batter that will be easier to work with and less prone to breakage – while providing a buckwheat flavour that is still dominant.
• Traditional crepes are made on a bilig, with the help of a roselle. Obviously, this is not the kind of equipment everyone has in their kitchen, but a non-stick pan and a rubber or wooden spatula will do just fine. Crepes are simply peeled off from the pan with the help of a spatula, and gently placed back upside down on the pan. 
• If you are preparing a stack of crepes (to be garnished and enjoyed later), prepare a plate covered with a clean dish cloth. Each time you finish a crepe and peel it off from the pan, place it on the plate – preferably folded in half so it is easier to grab later- and cover it with the cloth. Pile your crepes on the plate, and make sure the cloth is always wrapped around your plate, nice and tight – so the steam is kept inside. This technique will make sure your crepes are evenly cooked and very tender.

Buckwheat Crepes from Brittany

Print Recipe

Serves: 12 crepes Prep Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour 1 hour

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 3.4/5

( 76 voted )

Ingredients

2 cups Buckwheat flour (250g)
1 egg
1 pinch of salt
Water

Instructions

Sift together the buckwheat flour and salt. Place in a big mixing bowl and create a well in the middle.

Break in the egg and mix with a spoon.

Now using a whisk, slowly add in some water until your batter becomes a velvety smooth liquid, that has the consistency of heavy cream.

Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet/pan over medium heat.

When your pan is hot, drop a in dollop of butter and swirl it in so it coats the entire pan evenly (the butter should melt right away when touching the pan, but not brown. If the butter browns, lower the heat a bit).

Immediately, add 1/3 cup of batter and swirl your pan quickly to completely cover the bottom. Cook until micro-bubbles form on all over the edges of the crepe (giving it a lace-like look) and the underside of the crepe is dry– about 2 minutes.

Loosen edge of crepe with a rubber spatula. Then, with your fingertips, peel off the crepe and quickly flip it. Cook for an additional 30 seconds.

Slide your crepe out of your pan, onto a plate, and cover with a dish cloth. Repeat. Well stacked and wrapped, your crepes can be kept up to 3 days in the fridge. 

If you try these Buckwheat Crepes from Brittany let me know!  Leave a comment or share a photo using #pardonyourfrench on Instagram.

Bon Appétit!

The post Buckwheat Crepes from Brittany (Gluten-free) appeared first on Pardon Your French.

The Kig Ha Farz is a traditional regional dish hailing from Finistère, in Brittany. It is generous, earthy and a joy for lovers of homely French stews. Although this one comes with a typical twist from Brittany: buckwheat flour!

The two flour-based dumplings (called “farz”) are the most unsual components of the dish here, but truly make the dish. The white farz (white flour based) is dense, smooth and slightly sweet.The black farz (buckwheat flour based) is earthy, nutty and crumbled into fluffly little dumplings.

These farz are traditionally made in Farz Bags. Since I didn’t have a Farz bag (and I would assume most you don’t have one either), I had to get creative. I placed a cotton dish towel in a bowl, poured in the buckwheat batter, gathered the four corners of the towel to make a loose pouch and tied it with butcher’s twine (the farz swells up as it cooks, so make sure the pouch is a bit loose). I repeated the same process for the white farz, dropped both pouches in the simmering meat broth for two hours, and voila!

Once cooled to room temperature, the white farz is simply meant to be unwrapped from the pouch and sliced. For the black farz, grab the pouch and roll it between your hands (to break and crumble apart the inside contents). Shake it too, if needed. When you open the bag, the farz should be all-crumbled up into tiny dumplings, ready to be enjoyed with a delicious Pot-Au-Feu.

According to French Chef Raymond Blanc, pot-au-feu is “the quintessence of French family cuisine. The most celebrated dish in France.”

Personally, I don’t know if I would go as far as saying it is the most celebrated dish in France (maybe it used to be, several decades ago?). Pot-au-feu has as very “vintage” image nowadays in France. People see it as the kind of meal you will only get to eat when you visit your grandparents for Sunday lunch (which I am not sure is a good or bad thing?). Still, it is true to say that a pot-of-feu is the epitomy of French family cuisine. It is the kind of meal meant for a Sunday that gets the whole tribe gathered around a table. A feast of boiled meats and vegetables that offers something for everyone to pick at, according to their taste.

A traditional Pot-au-feu calls for boiled cuts of beef and poitrine salee (“salted pork breast”), which is a meaty, salty piece of pork. It’s hard to find it here in North America, so you can substitute it for corned beef (for a similar meaty texture), or for pork belly or Canadian bacon (for a similar salty taste). As a leaner option this time, I opted for slices of pork shoulder.

And in the case of a kig ha farz, I find that pork sausages are a great addition. They pair deliciously with the buckwheat farz and are very reminiscent of Brittany cuisine, which is heavily pork-based. Some pot-au-feu recipes also call for bone marrows, which helps thickens the broth.

Lastly, the kig ha farz is to be enjoyed with “lipig”, a sauce-like condiment made of slowly caramelized shallots in salted butter. Most French recipes around call for the use of the onions from Roscoff, a distinctive pink onion coming from the same area of Finistère, in Brittany. But as a substitute, shallots work perfectly.

Buckwheat dumplings, boiled pork sausages, shallots and salted butter… it doesn’t get more “Breton” than that.

If you try this Kig Ha Farz recipe, let me know!  Leave a comment or share a photo using #pardonyourfrench on Instagram. 

Bon Appétit! Or as the Bretons say, Kalon Digor!

Kig Ha Farz, Breton stew with Buckwheat dumplings

Print Recipe

Serves: 6 people Prep Time: 1 hour Cooking Time: 3 hours 3 hours

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 2 voted )

Ingredients

For the black Farz

2 cups (250g) buckwheat flour
1 egg
15cl sour cream
¼ cup butter (65g) (1/2 stick)
20cl milk

 

For the white farz

2 cups (250g) white flour
2 eggs
¼ cup (55 g) sugar
2 tbsp (30g) butter
25cl milk

 

For the Pot-au-Feu

1 onion
2 cloves
1 garlic clove
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs of thyme
3 lbs pork sausages
3 lbs mixed meats (ie. pork shoulder, pork belly, corned beef)
5 carrots
2 leeks
½ head of cabbage

 

For the lipig

2 shallots
1 ½ tbsp (40g) salted butter

Instructions

Fill half of a big stew pot (or Dutch-oven) with water. Throw the mixed meats in it (with the exeption of the sausages). Peel the onion, and poke it with the cloves. Throw the onion, garlic, bay leaves and thyme in the water. Cover, bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the farz.

For the black farz – Melt the butter in a small sauce pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour, eggs, sour cream and melted butter. Slowly add in the milk while whisking, until you get a smooth, thick but “liquidy” batter. Pour the batter in the farz bag (or dish towel placed in a bowl), tie it up loosely (as the farz will swell up while cooking).

For the white farz - Melt the butter in a small sauce pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the white flour, sugar, eggs, sour cream and melted butter. Slowly add in the milk while whisking, until you get a smooth, thick “liquidy” batter. Pour the batter into a second farz bag (or another dish towel placed in a bowl), tie it up loosely (as the white farz will also swell up while cooking).

Place both farz bags and the pork sausage in the simmering broth and cook for two hours.
After the 2 hours, peel the carrots, remove the green parts from the leeks, cut the cabbage in large wedges and place in the simmering broth for 45 minutes.

While you wait, prepare the lipig – Peel and finely mince the shallots, and let them melt in a small sauce pan, over medium heat, with the butter and two ladles of hot broth. Stir once and a while, until you get a thick, creamy consistency.

To serve, remove the farz bags from the broth. Cut the white farz into slices, and crumble the black farz into tiny dumplings. Remove the meats and veggies from the broth, and serve with the lipig.

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