About the French apéro

Short for apéritif, the French apéro is a ritual of before-dinner snacks and drinks – which is very dear to the French. Think American happy hour, but more food focused. It is enjoyed throughout the entire year (regardless of season), but a little more religiously during the warmer months of the year, when you’re settled in on a sun-drenched patio or backyard. 

Often very laid back, a French apéro commonly features a mix of chips, peanuts, olives and slices of saucisson (dried pork sausage) – nothing extravagant. For special occasions, you can come up with more creative bites, dips and toasts – such as this poivronade dip.

More appetizer recipes you may like: 

• French Cheese Puffs (Gougères)
• Brie en Croûte with Cranberries, Nuts and Thyme
• Classic French Salmon Rillettes
• Swiss Chard Pancakes (Farçous)
• Ham Cheese Olive Bread 
• Sardine and Cream Cheese Rillettes
• Eggplant Caviar Dip
• Black Olive Tapenade
• Gruyere Cheese Twists (Torsades au fromage)

Less famous than the olive Tapenade, this Roasted Red Pepper Dip is another specialty dip from Southern France, with big Mediterranean flavors. A lot of different takes exist for this recipe, but the base always remains the same – pureed roasted red peppers, which are mixed with different cheeses, spices and/or fresh herbs. Today’s take features salty parmesan and feta cheese, pine nuts, smoked paprika and fresh basil leaves. This makes for a creamy dip with deliciously smoky, salty yet slightly sweet flavors. 

How to Store this Roasted Red Pepper Dip? 

Keep the Poivronade in an airtight container or jar, in the fridge for up to 1 week. The dip tends to thicken in the fridge, so take it out to settle to room temperature about 30 minutes before enjoying. 

Notes: 

• For this recipe, you will need a blender or mixer. 
• For roasting the bell peppers, you can do it easily in the oven; I am giving you instructions in the recipe below. But feel free to do it on the grill if weather allows. The goal is to roast the peppers until they get charred, blistering skins – do not fret, the blackened skins are peeled off later.  
• Pine nuts are delicious to use in this recipe. However, for a more affordable option you can use chopped almonds (2 tablespoons + extra for garnish). 

I hope you enjoy this Roasted Red Pepper Dip from Provence (Poivronade) recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment. And if you enjoy recipes from Provence, make sure to sure check my round up of Classic Provencal Recipes To Try. 

More appetizer recipes you may like: 

• French Cheese Puffs (Gougères)
• Brie en Croûte with Cranberries, Nuts and Thyme
• Classic French Salmon Rillettes
• Swiss Chard Pancakes (Farçous)
• Ham Cheese Olive Bread 
• Sardine and Cream Cheese Rillettes
• Eggplant Caviar Dip
• Black Olive Tapenade
• Gruyere Cheese Twists (Torsades au fromage)

Roasted Red Pepper Dip (Poivronade)

Print Recipe

Serves: 6-8 people Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 40 Minutes 40 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 5 voted )

Ingredients

2 large red bell peppers, washed
2 tbsp pine nuts (+ 1 tbsp for garnish)
1/2 cup (55g) parmesan, grated or roughly chopped
1/2 cup (75g) Feta cheese, crumbled (+ a little extra for ganish)
¼ tsp smoked paprika (+ a pinch more for garnish)
2 garlic cloves, peeled
6-8 Fresh basil leaves (+ a few more for garnish)
2 tbsp (30ml) lemon juice
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (30ml) (+ more for garnish)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Pre-heat your oven to 350°F (180°C) with a rack in the middle. Line a roasting pan or dish with foil, place the whole bell peppers on top and bake for 40 minutes until blackened, flipping them hallway (carefully, with tongs).

Let the bell peppers cool. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skins. Cut the peppers open, remove the core and seeds and chop them roughly.

Cut the garlic cloves in half and use a paring knife to pry the germ out.

In a mixer, add the parmesan and pine nuts, and pulse until ground. Add the feta, paprika, garlic cloves, lemon juice, basil leaves, salt and black pepper to taste. Pulse until reduced to a crumbly paste. Add the chopped red pepper, olive oil and mix until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste with salt and pepper. If the consistency is too thick for your liking, add one or two splashes of olive oil.

Transfer the dip to a serving bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and top with a sprinkle of pine nuts, a sprinkle of crumbled feta, a pinch of paprika and a few basil leaves. Enjoy with toasted bread slices or raw vegetables for dipping.

The post Roasted Red Pepper Dip from Provence (Poivronade) appeared first on Pardon Your French.

With summer barbecues on all of our minds, here’s a recipe to behold: Lamb Chops and Summer Veggies, topped with a fragrant Nice-style Pesto Sauce.

As you’ve seen from my previous recipe, I am partnering with Oliv this Summer to bring you delicious recipes that are bursting with Balsamics and Extra Virgin Olive Oils – two ingredients utterly prevalent in Southern French cuisine. (If you’re unfamiliar with Oliv, check out my last post or check their site for a look at their essential oil-infused line of products.)

Today, I am showcasing their Garlic-Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It is so fragrant, sharp and intensely garlicy (which I love!). The first time I tried it, I knew it would add a lot of character to any grilled meats, fish or vegetables.

I made double-use of the Garlic-Infused EVOO for this Lamb Chops and Summer Veggies recipe. I first used it as a marinade for the lamb chops and summer vegetables, along with Herbes de Provence and seasonings. No need for garlic or onions, as the EVOO did all the work on its own.

This marinade infused so much flavour into the meat and helped get that nice char we’re all looking for when grilling. The veggies (zucchini, eggplant and red peppers) ended up juicy, with mellow flavours reminiscent of a ratatouille.

I also used the Garlic-Infused EVOO to make a Nice-Style pesto sauce. Unlike the Italian pesto you might be more familiar with, a Nice-style pesto sauce (known as “pistou”) does not contain pine nuts. It simply includes basil leaves, parmesan and EVOO –letting the flavours of the oil shine a little more (and it’s much more cost effective!).

This “pistou” is traditionally used in the Provencal Soupe au Pistou. But it’s also delicious in pasta, risotto and on top of roasted meats and veggies – just like in this recipe. It is a great sauce to have in your fridge during the Summer, to turn anything that’s a bit boring into a distinct dish – with a great Mediterranean flare.  

This recipe makes 2 servings and leaves you with a 250ml pesto jar, that will keep in the fridge for 5-7 days.

Lamb Chops and Summer Veggies with Nice-Style Pesto

Print Recipe

Serves: 2 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes 30 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 2 voted )

Ingredients

For the pesto sauce:
1 clove of garlic
8 sprigs of fresh basil (about 24 leaves)
60 g Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup Garlic-infused EVOO
Salt, pepper to taste

For the main:
2 lamb chops
1 eggplant
1 zucchini
1 red pepper
4 tbsp Garlic-Infused EVOO
1 lemon
2 tsp Herbes de Provence
Salt, pepper to taste

Instructions

For the pesto sauce:
Wash the basil leaves (discard the stems), peel the garlic and chop the parmesan roughly. Throw the ingredients into a mixer/food processor (or use a mortar and pestle) and puree to make a chunky paste. Slowly add in the EVOO, little by little, while continuously mixing. If needed, finish off with salt and pepper to taste.

For the main:
At least two hours before cooking (or even better, the night prior), pour 2 tablespoon of EVOO into a ziploc bag, with 1 teaspoon of Herbes de Provence, the juice of ½ a lemon, and the lamb chops that you’ve seasoned with a pinch of salt and pepper on each side. Seal the bag, and massage the lamb chops in the bag to make sure they are evenly coated with the herbs and oil. Refrigerate.

Two hours before (not the night before) wash and chop the eggplant, zucchini and red pepper into large cubes (as pictured). Throw them in a ziploc bag, with 2 tablespoons of EVOO, 1 teaspoon of Herbes de Provence, a pinch of salt and pepper, and the juice of the other ½ of the remaining lemon. Refrigerate.

Cook the lamb chops (on a barbecue grill or a heavy skillet) to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Cook the summer vegetables (preferably in a heavy skillet, not directly on the grill) for 15-20 minutes until cooked through and glistening (but not mushy).

For serving, present the lamb chops and Summer veggies in a dish/plate and dress with a generous dollop of pesto sauce on top.

If you try this Lamb Chops and Summer Veggies with Nice-style Pesto recipe let me know! Leave a comment or share a photo using #pardonyourfrench on Instagram.

Bon Appétit!

The post Lamb Chops and Summer Veggies with Nice-Style Pesto appeared first on Pardon Your French.