What is a Classic Parisian Salad?

Known as “Salade Parisienne”, this recipe is a staple bistro fare, served in Paris and across France. We traditionally make this wholesome salad with salad greens, ham, cubed cheese, potatoes, mushrooms, and hard-boiled eggs – although the recipe can vary slightly from one bistro to the next. 

I am very fond of this salad as it’s light, yet wholesome and very satisfying. It’s super easy to make at home too.

And why do we call it a Salade Parisienne, you may ask? Because it uses local products like “Parisian ham” and white mushrooms, known in French as “Champignons de Paris.”

One of the many French “Salades Composées”

This Parisian Salad belongs to what the French call “Les Salades Composées”. Literally “composed salads”, these types of salads are made up of various ingredients (protein, vegetables, cheese and/or nuts) carefully arranged on a plate, rather than simply tossed together. They are immensely popular in France, with many regions offering their own version: the Parisian salad, the Lyonnaise salad, the Niçoise salad, etc.

The key characteristic of a Salade Composée is its presentation, with each ingredient thoughtfully placed on the plate to create an appealing and balanced dish.

I have a soft spot for Salades Composées: they make for the perfect lighter lunch or dinner, yet they are very satisfying and filling too. Be it this recipe, the Lyonnaise or a Niçoise, these salads are on a rotation in my kitchen and I like to order them when eating out for lunch occasionally too.

What ingredients you’ll need for this Parisian Salad

1. Salad Greens. Tradtionally, we use Batavia lettuce to make a Salade Parisienne, althought you can also opt for a Frisée salad, Romaine or Escarole. You can even add a few leaves of Radicchio or Arugula for added bitterness if you want. I don’t recommend using Iceberg lettuce which is too crisp.
2. Hard-boiled eggs. For a nice portion of protein.
3. Potatoes. Boiled and cooled potatoes make for a satisfying salad. Ideally, opt for new potatoes which are the perfect size to be added in a salad. If you can’t find new potatoes, you can opt for red-skinned or fingerling potatoes. They all keep their shape very well once cooked, which is perfect for this salad. Once the potatoes are cooked and rinsed, make sure you let cool completely to room temperature before adding them to the salad.
4. Parisian ham. In France, the recipe typically calls for “Jambon de Paris.” Jambon de Paris is a lean, unsmoked ham with a mild flavor, readily available in pre-cooked, sliced form at grocery stores and butcher shops across France. Despite being less prevalent in North America, you can often find a similar style at the deli counter. Simply request thinly sliced “Parisian Ham” from your local butcher or deli grocer.
5. Hard Mountain Cheese. You need a chunk of hard mountain cheese (Alpine cheese) to garnish this Parisian salad. Look for Comté, Emmental or Gruyère at your local grocers. As a more affordable option, white cheddar works too – although the taste will change slightly.  
6. Mushrooms. Choose cremini or white mushrooms, known in French as “Champignons de Paris”. They are meaty, mild-tasting, and easy to slice. They’re enjoyed raw in this salad: slice them as thin as you can.
7. Cornichons. These tart, pickled cucumbers are much smaller than your average American pickle. They are very popular in France and can be found in most grocers. In the US, you can find them near mustards and mayonnaises. I recommend the Maille brand.
8. Chive. I like to use a heavy sprinkle of fresh herbs on this salad. Chive works great and so does parsley.
9. French vinaigrette. This salad wouldn’t be complete without a classic French vinaigrette to dress it up! See this article for a complete run-down of how to make your own French vinaigrette.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I remove the skin from the potatoes for this recipe?

You can, but it is a lot more work. The skin on small potatoes is very thin, so it doesn’t make a huge difference in taste and texture to peel it. But if you think it is visually best to remove the skin, the choice if yours.

Can this salad be prepared ahead of time?

Yes, absolutely, this is a great salad to prepare ahead. You can assemble the salad onto the plates (up until step 5) up to 2 hours before serving. Dress with vinaigrette and season to taste just before serving.

What to serve this Parisian Salad with?

This salad is a whole balanced dish in itself. Enjoy it with some crusty bread on the side and a classic french dessert to round it off, such as a chocolate mousse or a slice of lemon tart. 

Audrey’s tips:

• As per tradition, this Parisian Salad is served on individual plates, with all the ingredients arranged beautifully. However, you can also make it in large salad bowl and toss all the ingredients together with the vinaigrette, before serving. The visual appeal isn’t the same, but the taste is!

I hope you’ll love this recipe as much as I do. If you have any questions, please leave a comment. 

More French Salads to try: 

• French Grated Carrot Salad (Carottes rapées)
• French-style Potato Salad
• Piemontaise Potato Salad
• Frisée Salad with bacon, eggs and croutons (Salade Lyonnaise)
• Classic French Lentil Salad 
• Cucumber Salad with crème fraiche
• Classic French Celery Root Remoulade
• Green Bean Potato Salad

Classic Parisian Salad (Salade Parisienne)

Print Recipe

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 25 Minutes 25 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 2 voted )

Ingredients

4 eggs, hard boiled and quartered (see instructions below)
0.6lbs (300g) new potatoes
1 tbsp salt
One medium sized lettuce (Batavia, Romaine or Frisée)
4 slices (150-200g total) Parisian ham.
5 ounces (150g) cheese (gruyère, comté or Emmental), diced.
0.3lbs (150g) mushrooms, thinly sliced. (white or cremini)
8-10 cornichons, chopped.
7-8 sprigs of chives, minced.
Salt and black pepper, to taste.
French vinaigrette, for serving.

Instructions

Step 1 – Make the hard-boiled eggs. Add eggs to a saucepan. Cover with water by 1 inch and bring to a rapid boil. Boil for 1 minute and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the eggs from the water and rinse under cold water. Once cooled, peel the eggs under running cool water and slice into quarters.

Step 2 – Slice the small potatoes in half, or in quarters if larger. Place them in a large pot and cover by 1 inch with water. Add 1 tbsp of salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for about 15 minutes until you can easily poke a knife into the potatoes. Drain immediately into a colander/strainer and rinse under cold water until cool.

Step 3 - Wash and dry the salad, pluck the leaves and hand-tear them into large pieces. Cut the ham slices into large strips.

Step 4 – Assemble the salad. Divide the salad pieces into 4 large plates. Top each plate with an equal amount of ham slices, cheese cubes, mushroom slices, chopped cornichons and potatoes. Top each salad plate with 4 egg quarters.

Step 5 - Dress with vinaigrette. Season with salt, pepper and chopped chive to taste. Serve immediately.

Once dressed with vinaigrette, this salad is best enjoyed within 2-3 hours.

The post Classic Parisian Salad (Salade Parisienne) appeared first on Pardon Your French.

A perfect family meal 

This recipe is all about keeping things quick, simple and with no fancy ingredients. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cremini mushrooms and crème fraiche come together to create a very satisfying, crowd-pleasing dish. It is ready in just 30 minutes, for a perfect family meal any day of the week. 

I love to make it in a large skillet to fit loads of mushrooms and 4 chicken breasts. But you can easily halve the recipe to make it for two, in a smaller pan. 

Make sure you have crusty bread on the side for mopping up the delicious sauce!

How to cook juicy chicken breasts in a pan ? 

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are a very popular cut of poultry. However, it is known for being tricky to cook as it can turn tough and dry pretty quickly.  So, here are a few tips I learned from my years of cooking to help you achieve perfectly cooked and juicy chicken breasts. Use these tips and techniques to cook the chicken breasts for this recipe when nestled with the mushrooms. Or you can simply use them for cooking chicken breasts on their own, and in any other recipes. 

• • Ideally, breasts shouldn’t be thicker than 1-inch, to cook evenly. If your chicken breasts are too thick, cover them with a plastic film and use a mallet or rolling pin to pound them down until thinner. 
  • Take the chicken breasts out of the fridge at least 2 hours before you cook them. This will allow the meat to come to close to room temperature, so it doesn’t have thermal shock when placed on a hot pan – which usually makes for tough meat. 
  • Sprinkle a few drops of lemon juice onto the chicken breasts and rub it in. The lemon juice helps tenderize the chicken. This works well for lean cuts like chicken breasts. 
  • Salt your chicken 2 hours beforehand to allow the salt to penetrate the meat. If you’re interested in knowing more about how salt is used to build and enhance flavor in food (especially for meats), I recommend the book Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat.
  • Cook chicken breasts on a pre-heated pan set to medium-high heat. 
  • Do not move the chicken breasts around while they cook (this is essential!).
  • Cook chicken breasts for 7-8 minutes on each side, or until internal temperature reaches 165F/74C. 
  • When the chicken breasts are finished cooking, let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows for the heat to distribute evenly and for meat to relax. 

Cooking Notes & Substitutions: 

• Find Crème fraiche at the grocery store, next to sour cream and whipping cream. Two of my favorite brands I recommend are Liberte and Maison Riviera.
• You can substitute the crème fraiche for heavy cream (35% M.F.). However, I don’t recommend substituting it for sour cream, half-and-half or even milk. These don’t contain enough fat and will curdle due to high heat in the sauce. 
• Cremini mushrooms are traditionally used for making this recipe, but you can opt for other seasonal mushrooms if you want, such as porcini or chanterelles
• You can use another cut of chicken if you would like, such as chicken quarters or thighs. Keep in mind you may need to adjust the cooking time. 

How to store Chicken breasts in creamy mushroom sauce? 

Any leftovers? You can keep it in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. 

• In the refrigerator: let the the dish cool completely and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat your portions on the stovetop on low heat, so the sauce doesn’t separate. 
• I don’t recommend freezing this dish. Saucy dishes made with dairy don’t handle the thawing process very well.

More Chicken recipes you may like: 

• Classic French Coq Au Vin Rouge
• French Tarragon Chicken 
• Simple Chicken Marengo with mushrooms 
• Chicken Chasseur (Classic French Hunter’s Chicken)
• Braised Chicken thighs with garlic and onion

I hope you’ll love this Chicken Breasts in Creamy Mushroom Sauce as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment. As a side, you can serve this recipe with simple rice, Green Beans Almondine or Gratin Dauphinois.

Chicken Breasts in Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Print Recipe

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 26 minutes 26 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.9/5

( 7 voted )

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp (15ml) lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
6 tbsp (84g) butter
1 medium onion, peeled and minced (or 2 shallots)
½ lbs (227g) button mushrooms, washed and sliced
1/2 cup (125ml) chicken stock (ideally low-sodium)
2/3 cup (200g) crème fraiche (35-40%MF)
2 tbsp freshly minced parsley (flat or curly)

Instructions

Make sure you read the cooking notes before you start.

Step 1 – 2 hours prior to cooking, rinse the chicken breasts under cold water and pat-dry thoroughly with paper towel. Sprinkle with lemon juice and rub it in. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside, at room temperature. Meanwhile, you can prepare the onion (peel, dice) and the mushrooms (wash, slice). 

Step 2 – Heat up a large frying pan (or skillet) over medium-high heat with the butter. When the butter is sizzling, add the onion (or shallots) and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until fragrant. Add the mushrooms, and cook for 4-5 minutes until the mushrooms are softened, but not browned yet.

Step 3 – Nestle the chicken breasts between the mushrooms. Cook for 7-8 minutes, without touching. Flip the chicken and cook for 7-8 more minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with foil.

Step 4 – Add the chicken stock to the mushrooms and stir. When the stock is hot, add the crème fraiche and stir. Bring the sauce to a low boil and let simmer for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed (salt, pepper). Stir in 1 tablespoon of parsley. Nestle the chicken breasts back into the pan and drape with sauce. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes. Garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon of parsley.

The post Chicken Breasts in Creamy Mushroom Sauce appeared first on Pardon Your French.

In fact, it has been happening to me a lot lately, as I’ve working on developing three different versions (1-day, 2-day and 3-day) of my Classic French Croissant recipes. So I have been left with dozens of croissants on the counter, and even though I am very much fond of them, going through 36 in a day became a bit too much. And you’ll probably agree that days-old croissants simply do not have the same oomph as freshly baked ones.

So I have been thinking of ways to use up my leftovers croissants, and making a savory croissant casserole is the first thing that came to my mind. I wanted a comforting dish to cut through the bitter Winter evenings. I imagined the textures and flavours I wanted, and worked backwards from there…

A great Winter dinner or crowd-pleasing brunch

The croissants paired with mushrooms provides the perfect mix of sweet and salty flavors. The bittery spinach cut nicely through the richness of the croissants. The tender baked eggs and cheese perfectly compliment the crisp edges of the croissants.

With leftover croissants on hand, it is a quick and easy dish to put together (less than 15 minutes), and makes for a great Winter dinner or crowd-pleasing brunch.

Cooking notes:

• Using fresh spinach is best for this dish (they render less water); but if you have to use frozen spinach, make sure your thaw and drain them very well, and cook them all the way through until no moisture is left in the pan.
• Gruyère cheese is great in this dish, but feel free to use any hard cheese of your liking. 1 cup (100g) is a fair amount of cheese – just enough to bring comfort and flavour, but not overkill (remember croissants are already rich to start with). Feel free to use more/less cheese, to suit your taste.

Savory Croissant Casserole with Mushroom, Spinach and Cheese

Print Recipe

Serves: 6 people Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 35 minutes 35 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.1/5

( 26 voted )

Ingredients

6 Classic French Croissants
2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter + extra to grease the dish
1 bag [227g/8oz] fresh spinach
4 2/3 cup (350g) Cremini muchrooms, fresh, sliced
1 cup (100g) Gruyère Cheese, grated.
6 large eggs
2 cups (500ml) whole milk
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Step 1 – Over medium-low heat, in a large frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon (15g) of butter. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms are soft and tender. Set aside.

Add an other tablespoon (15g) of butter to the pan with the fresh spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes until the spinach is cooked.

Pre-heat your oven to 350°F (180°C)

Step 2 – Butter a 10.5x7 inch (26.7x17.8cm) dish. Slice the croissants in half vertically and split each half partially horizontally (do not cut them all the way through). Place the croissants halves vertically (sliced side up) in rows in the dish, nice and tight. Stuff the spinach equally into each croissant half and do the same with the mushrooms (you can stuff some mushrooms in-between the croissants too).

Step 3 – In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, and half of the grated cheese (1/2 cup/50g). Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the egg mixture over the croissants. Finally, sprinkle the rest of the grated cheese (1/2 cup/50g) evenly over the top. 

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an extra 10-15 minutes, until the egg mixture is set and golden and the grated cheese is all melted and crisp on the edges. Serve immediately. 

If you try this Savory Croissant Casserole with Mushroom, Spinach and Cheese recipe let me know!  Leave a comment or share a photo on Instagram tagging @pardonyourfrench or using #pardonyourfrench. 

The post Savory Croissant Casserole with Mushroom, Spinach and Cheese appeared first on Pardon Your French.

This Stuffed Rabbit Saddle with Chestnut and Mushrooms is roasted until perfectly golden and juicy inside, while the vegetable stuffing is so tender and flavorful. This festive recipe yields a super comforting feast that is enough for four people.

Cooking notes:

• • A Noble Piece of Meat

Deeply anchored into French Gastronomy, rabbit saddle is called a “noble piece of meat”, which means it is a prime piece, sought after for its extreme tenderness and easy versatility. Rabbit saddle can be braised, roasted, sliced, minced … or most commonly stuffed, like in this delicious recipe.

• Bone-in or Bone-out.

The saddle is made up of the ribs and spine, with a loin or fillet on either side. If you are up for the challenge, buy a whole rabbit or a bone-in saddle and follow this video to see how to debone a rabbit and separate the saddle.

For this recipe, I’ve took on the challenge of deboning the rabbit myself (it was my first time!). It was a little time consuming and requires some precise knife technique as well as sharp knives. It was a tad overwhelming at first, but ended up being not difficult, and well worth the effort !

If you’re in a hurry, buy a deboned rabbit saddle (it is pretty common to find) or ask your butcher to debone it for you.

• Servings

An average size rabbit saddle is 350 to 400 grams, which, once stuffed, will serve 4 adults. If you are feeding more people, prepare more saddles accordingly. 

If you try this Stuffed Rabbit saddle recipe, let me know!  Leave a comment or share a photo on Instagram tagging @pardonyourfrench or using #pardonyourfrench. I’d love to see what you come up with.  

Bon Appétit!

Stuffed Rabbit Saddle with Mushrooms and Chestnuts

Print Recipe

Serves: 4 people Prep Time: 1 hour Cooking Time: 1 hour 1 hour

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 2 voted )

Ingredients

For the stuffed rabbit saddle:
1 rabbit saddle (350-400gr)
400g chestnuts, peeled and cooked
400g nutty bread (or any rustic loaf of your choosing)
2 shallots
4 garlic cloves
400g white mushrooms
50g butter
3 sprigs of coriander
3 sprigs of parsley
3 sage leaves
Pepper (freshly cracked)
Salt
Butcher’s twine

For the potatoes:
500g (1lb) small white-skinned potatoes, scrubbed
1 tbsp herbes de Provences
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Pepper
Salt (freshly cracked)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400F. Place rack in the lowest position of the oven. Take out the rabbit meat from the fridge, lay it on paper towels and and let it come up to room temperature ( it ensures that it will cook more evenly).

Step 1 – Roughly chop 300g of the chestnuts and 300g of the mushrooms (keep aside 100g of whole chestnuts and 100g of whole mushrooms). Finely chop 2 garlic cloves (keep aside 2 whole garlic cloves in their skins). Finely chop the shallots, coriander, parsely and 1 sage leaf.

Step 2 - In a large frying pan, fry the minced garlic and shallots, with the butter, for 2 minutes (until transluscent). Add the chopped mushrooms, chesnuts, herbs and bread (crumbled roughly with your fingers). Season to your liking (salt and pepper), and mix roughly with a wooden spoon until all the ingredients come together in a crumbly stuffing mix. (If it looks too dry, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water – the bread will absorb it quickly). Transfer the stuffing to a bowl and set aside (keep the frying pan on the stove – we will use it soon to quickly brown the rabbit, in step 5).

Step 3 - On a clean working surface, lay the rabbit saddle (back side down). Spread the stuffing on top and press it firmly (using your hands) into a tight log, right in the middle of the saddle. Roll the saddle and close it tightly with butcher’s twine. Slip the 2 remaining sage leaves between the twine.

Step 4 - For the potatoes, whole mushrooms (remaining 100g) whole chesnuts (remaining 100g) and 2 whole remaining garlic cloves – In a small bowl, whisk the herbs, garlic and oil together until blended. Put the potatoes, chesnuts and mushrooms in a large bowl and pour over the oil mix. Toss to coat and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Step 5 – Gently place the rabbit saddle in the frying pan, on medium-high heat with a dollop of butter, and brown quickly (1-2 minutes on all 4 sides).

Step 6 – Gently transfer the rabbit saddle in a large, heavy baking dish (I used a Staub Oval Cocotte) and toss the potatoes, mushrooms and chestnuts all around it.

Cook for 45 minutes, lid on. After 45 minutes, gently toss the potatoes, mushrooms and chestnuts around (to make sure they’re evenly roasted) with a spatula. Spoon some juice from the bottom of the pan and pour it on the rabbit saddle. Put back in the oven for 15 minutes, lid off.

For serving, transfer the rabbit to a platter, cut into 8 slices and spread the potatoes, mushrooms and chestnuts all around.

Notes...

Merry Christmas!

Looking for more Christmas Recipes? 

• Spiced Persimmon Chutney Foie Gras Toasts 
• Speculoos Cookies from Alsace
• Honey and Citrus Spiced Bread 
• French Eggnog Madeleines 
• Pistachio & Almond Crescent Cookies 

The post Stuffed Rabbit Saddle with Chestnuts and Mushrooms appeared first on Pardon Your French.