Behind the French Menu

from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

The Taureau de Camargue was the first breed of French cattle to be awarded an AOC, now an AOP, for the unquestionably excellent and consistent quality of their meat. When the Taureau de Camargue is on the menu, you will have an opportunity to enjoy some of the best steaks or roasts that France can offer; in the winter fabulous stews will be on the menu.

The Camargue where the cattle are raised is a working nature reserve and part of the Delta of the Rhone River on France’s Mediterranean coast; it is partly in Provence, Alpes-Côte d'Azur; and partly in Occitanie. (The new Super Region of Occitanie was created on 1-1-2016 by combining the regions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées).

Grilled gilthead seabream

Photograph courtesy of yves P

www.flickr.com/photos/ypou34/7569136082/

The Taureau de Camargue AOC/AOP are completely free range and looked after by real French cowboys, called gardiens. who also look after the Camargue’s wild white horses. The breed is black and dark brown bulls and cows that are descended from the great Spanish fighting bulls; however, they are physically much smaller and are now considered an entirely separate species.

Wild horses of the Camargue

Photograph courtesy of Barry.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beejd1044/34729434332/

To hold their AOC/AOP the animals must be antibiotics and growth hormone free, and 90% of their food comes from natural grazing. Your first bite will tell you that the texture and taste of this meat is different.

The Taureau de Camargue on French menus:

Carpaccio de Taureau, Parmesan, Cebette et Câpres - A Carpaccio of Taureau de Camargue prepared with Parmesan cheese, spring onions and capers.

Côte de Taureau de Camargue Grillée au Thym, Sauté de Pomme de Terre à la Ciboule – A rib roast of Camargue beef grilled with thyme and served with potatoes fried with scallions (green onions). A French rib roast has four ribs and will weigh 3 kilos or more, so you will be served slices. You will be asked to choose how you prefer the meat to be cooked, so click here to reach the post on how to order steaks (and roasts) cooked the way you like them.

A Taureau de Camargue rump steak.

Photograph courtesy of patrick janicek

https://www.flickr.com/photos/marsupilami92/16897832010/

Entrecôte de Taureau de Camargue, Sauce Béarnaise, Pommes de Terre Rate au Four, Légumes du Moment - An entrecôte steak, a US or UK rib-eye. An entrecote, in France, is nearly always grilled and here it is served with Sauce Béarnaise. Accompanying the steak are baked “rate” potatoes, one of France’s most popular potatoes, along with the freshest vegetables.

Gardiane de Taureau et son Riz de Camargue - The stew of the Gardians, a stew as the Camargue's French cowboys would prepare. This stew is a variation of Provence’s memorable beef daube made with red wine, and here it is served with rice grown in the Camargue. (For more about the foods grown and served on the Camargue click here).

Pièce de Filet de Taureau de Camargue AOC Sauce au Vin Rouge, Purée de Pomme de Terre à l'Huile d'Olive – A filet steak from the Taureau de Camargue prepared with a red wine sauce and served with pureed potatoes flavored with olive oil.

Among the Camargue’s many traditions and one in which the Taureau de Camargue take part in is the Course Camarguaise, the Camargue acrobatic competition or contest. The Course Camarguaise is certainly not a bull-fight as some translations suggest; it is a unique acrobatic attraction, and the gardiens do not let their bulls, or, more often, the cows, get hurt or wounded; these animals are trained professionals. To see more on the Camargue see the post: The Camargue, France. The land, its people, and its unique cuisine.

A Course Camarguaise

Photograph courtesy of Arnaud DG

https://www.flickr.com/photos/hern42/3930446271/

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Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

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Connected posts:

AOC and AOP on France's Foods and Wine labels? Why is the AOC becoming an AOP?

Carpaccio on French Menus.

Côte, a rib or rib roast, a cutlet or a chop; Côté, a side or a filet; Côtes, (cotes) the hills or the coast in French. All will be on French menus.

Daube – A Traditional Provencal Stew. Now on Menus all Over France.

Entrecôte (Entrecote). Ordering a Perfect Entrecote Steak in France.

Estragon - Tarragon. Tarragon, the herb, in French Cuisine.

Filet Mignon on French Menus and Filet de Bœuf in French Cuisine.

French Olive Oils. Enjoying France's Best Olive Oils.

Ordering a Steak in France, Cooked the Way you Like it.

Parmesan, the Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano is an Important Ingredient in French Cuisine.

Regions - France’s Mainland Regions and Their Borders Have Changed. Keep This List With Your GPS and Map.

The Camargue, France. The Land, its People, and its Own Unique Cuisine.

Thyme in France. Thym, Serpolet, Farigoule and Thym Citron, Lemon Thyme in France. Thyme. One of the most important herbs in French cuisine.

from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

Gilthead seabream.

Photograph courtesy of Tony Hisgett

https://www.flickr.com/photos/hisgett/5729989321/

Gilthead is a firm, tasty fish with a silver colored skin; they will be on French menus sautéed, grilled or baked. The names dorade or daurade are used interchangeably. Larger fish, certainly all those over one kilo, are caught in the Mediterranean while most of the smaller fish will have come from sea-water fish-farms. If it is my choice I will choose a filet from a larger fish as I prefer fish caught at sea; in the sea, all fish have a wider selection of food, and with fish, you very much are what you eat. Despite that caveat, the smaller farmed fish are tasty fish, and they will be on more menus.

Gilthead on ice

Photograph courtesy of Duncan Hull

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dullhunk/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dullhunk/7095715239/

When ordering gilthead, or for that matter, any other fish on French menus, read the translations from the French carefully. Do not confuse the dorade or daurade royale, the gilthead seabream, with the daurade rose, the bluespotted seabream. The bluespotted seabream is an excellent fish; however, its cousin the gilthead is the juicier choice.

The gold band between the eyes gave the gilthead its name.

Photograph courtesy of Marco Verch

www.flickr.com/photos/30478819@N08/44270727142/

Gilthead seabream on French menus:

Dos de Filet de Daurade Royale de Ligne Poêlé à l'Huile d'Olive – A thick cut from a large gilthead caught with rod and line lightly fried in olive oil. When a French menu notes “caught with a rod and line” that indicate that the fish was caught at sea and did not come from a sea farm. Whether it was trapped in a net or with a rod and line is another story. Dos de filet indicates a thick cut and that cannot come from small farm-raised fish. On this menu listing the oil used for frying is noted; French diners know the benefits of olive oil and chefs will make sure that is on the menu, especially if it is French olive oil.

Whole fried gilthead.

Photograph courtesy of Oliver Hallmann

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ohallmann/6789236480/

Filet de Daurade Royale Grillé au Safran - Grilled filet of gilthead flavored with saffron, the herb. Saffron is the most expensive herb in the world, and despite it requiring hand harvesting it is still grown in France; however, here as the origin of the saffron used is not noted this may well be an import.

Gilthead roasted with rosemary butter.

Photograph courtesy of Peter Smith

https://www.flickr.com/photos/purpaboo/4499071875/

Dorade Royale Enrobée d'une Bisque d'Oursin – Gilthead served covered by a creamy bisque made from sea urchin roe. Bisques are traditionally made from seafood, and the only edible part of a sea urchin is its roe.

Grilled gilthead seabream

Photograph courtesy of T.Tseng

www.flickr.com/photos/68147320@N02/36588411451/

La Dorade Royale Grillée Pour 2 Personnes - A large gilthead grilled that will be served for a minimum of two diners. When you see a French menu listing like this ask your waiter for more information; a simply grilled gilthead is an excellent way to enjoy this fish as the fish’s natural taste is preserved. Despite that there may be other options available; a gilthead grilled with France’s much-loved herb group Les Fine Herbes adds an enjoyable light herb flavor.

Dos de Filet de Daurade Royale Poêlé à l'Huile d'Olive, Risotto de Blé Vert au Lait de Soja et Jeunes Pousses de Roquette au Parmesan - A thick filet cut from a large gilthead, lightly fried in olive oil; served with a risotto made from green wheat, soya milk and young shoots of rocket and flavored with Parmesan cheese. Note once again the chef indicates the oil used; even small French restaurants usually will include the oil used in their menu listing. Blé Vert, green wheat, more often called frik or freekeh, is a basic ingredient in North African cuisine; alongside bulgur wheat, it is very much in fashion. Green wheat with its different texture and taste creates a new take on risotto; the wheat itself is simply made by toasting and cracking wheat seeds that are still soft.

Gilthead seabream

Photograph courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library

https://www.flickr.com/photos/biodivlibrary/20850853616/

The gilthead seabream in the languages of France’s neighbors:

(Catalan – orada), (Dutch – goudbrasem), (German – goldbrasse), (Italian – orata), (Spanish – dorada), (Latin - sparus aurata).

The gilthead seabream in other languages:

(Basque – urraburua), (Corse – laurata or orata), (Hebrew – דניס, denis and chipura ), (Greek – τσιπούρα, tsipoúra ), (Latin - sparus aurata), (Lebanese Arabic – ajâj), (Occitan –aurada),

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