Moules frites, mussels and fries, was voted the second favorite dish in France a couple of years ago. It lost narrowly to duck breast. Actually, moules frites is thought to originate from Belgium. About one litre mussels is fine per serving. I prefer the small tasty French mussels. An 1,4 kg package of moules de bouchot du Mont Saint Michel AOP is enough for us two, although it is a bit less than 2 litres. The quality is superior.
Instead of frites, I prefer to serve my moules with good whole wheat bread to mop up the good sauce.
2 servings
- About 2 l mussels, moules de bouchot
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 bouquet garni (a bundle of dried herbs tied together with string)
- 100 ml white wine
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Chopped parsley
Warm the oil in a large heavy casserole and soften the shallot and garlic.
Wash the mussels and discard any that are damaged or do not close if you knock them.
Add bouquet garni, black pepper and the white wine in the casserole and bring to the boil. Add the mussels and cover the casserole. The small Brittany mussels need about 4 minutes cooking time after the wine has started boiling again. Give the casserole a shake now and again and check that the mussels are well open. You should discard any that have not opened.
Divide the mussels in deep bowls and decorate with parsley.
The highest mountain pass la Bonette was opened for public traffic in 1961. The paved road makes a loop around the mountain and climbs to 2802m. There are several mountain roads in Europe higher than this but none of them connects a town or a region. Even so, this road is open for traffic only during the snowless period.
Further down the road D64 is the hamlet of Bousiéyas, the highest village in Alpes Maritimes. The last allegedly permanent inhabitant, Madame Delmas, passed away alone there during one harsh winter in the 1960s. Today, there is a gîte during the summer season.
The tour presented here is a classic hike ascending to the mountain crest of la Blanche south of Bousiéyas. After the initial ascent to the long crest, the scenery is extraordinary even for a seasoned hiker. You are in the middle of high terrain with an unobstructed view of major peaks in all directions.
Details are described in French in the guidebook Rando Haut Pays/Crête de la Blanche.
Duration: 5 h 30 min walking time. Vertical ascent: 760m.
Map: Haute Tinée 1, TOP No 3639 OT
Music courtesy of Far Out Recordings; Track Magnetic Feel (Roc Hunter) from the Album “Far Out Jazz Funk”.
The traditional diet of the majority in the arrière-pays, in the mountains behind Nice, has always been rather meat-poor. Meat was a special treat used sparingly for Sundays and holidays. Of course the hunters took the occasional hooved game, but birds and rabbits were more frequently the prize. Hunting is still a popular pastime in the arrière-pays, and hikers are advised to wear colourful clothes and stay on the marked trails during the hunting season. Nowadays, rabbit is also very popular on the French Riviera, and farm-raised rabbit is easy to find in local supermarkets.
Rabbit meat is lean and delicate, a bit like chicken. It needs to be simmered an hour in a heavy casserole, my trusted Le Creuset is super for this.
2 servings
- 2 rabbit legs (cuisses de lapin)
- 5-6 spring onions,
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tasty tomatoes
- 100 ml white wine
- Juice and zest of ½ orange
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 bay leaf
- A sprig of rosemary or thyme
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Black olives
- Fresh basil leaves to decorate
Heat the rapeseed oil in a heavy casserole, and fry the rabbit legs on both sides until golden brown. Clean the spring onions and discard the green parts. Add the spring onions and garlic to the casserole. Add the white wine, zest and juice of ½ orange, bay leaf and rosemary. Grind a few rounds of black pepper in the casserole.
Cover the casserole and reduce the heat.
Let simmer for about ½ hour turning the legs and stirring regularly. Chop the tomatoes into quarters and add to the casserole. Continue simmering for ½ hour longer.
Meanwhile cook quinoa. I prefer to serve quinoa, because it best compliments this rabbit casserole.
Decorate with black olives and fresh basil leaves.