My girlfriend and I are planning a little dinner-and-a-movie party with some friends. Since we’re planning on watching some French films, we thought it would be appropriate to make a French dinner as well.
We’re not really looking to be incredibly “authentic,” just a fun, tasty dinner that gets the French inspiration across. And hopefully not break the bank. The guests will be providing wine and dessert, so we’re looking for suggestions for hors d’oeuvres, entrees, and sides. The only thing we’re currently planning is potage parmentier.
Open up your Mastering the Art of French Cooking and pick something. Many of those recipes can be quite economical, including the beef and chicken stew dishes - boeuf bourgingon, coq au vin, etc.
Mussels steamed in some wine with some garlic and shallots sauteed in butter, steamed for ten minutes (until they’re all opened) and then throw on some fresh parsley, with a nice crusty baguette for soaking up the sauce. That’s a good fall/winter appetizer that I make all the time, although I usually serve it with french fries (moules frites…c’est parfait).
Bummer they’re bringing dessert. You could have made beignets. Technically a breakfast food, but they’re cheap…mostly fried batter and powdered sugar…and tasty.
Properly made French Onion Soup is one of my top picks for dinner when I am in France, complete with the gruyere-topped crutons. The only bugger is that it’s normally made with beef stock which is a no if you are vegetarian!
A bouillabaisse or a bourride could be an option too.
hors d’oeurve: Seared tuna nicoise salad, take all the ingredients, the seared tuna,(thinly sliced) boiled red potates chilled and quarterd, blanched haricot verts, sliced red onion, black olives, slice hard cooked eggs and arrange them around the mustard lemon vinegarette. So people can build their own. Might have some romaine lettuce heart leaves too and capers and whatever you like:)
As an aside: if you’re doing a French-themed dinner, one of the movies should absolutely be Luis Bunuel’s DISCREET CHARM OF THE BOURGEOUSIE. Plot involves three couples who get together for dinner several times, but always get interrupted and never get to eat!
Hah, thanks for the recommendation. I’ve been wanting to see that, actually, but unfortunately I don’t have time to get it so we’re limited to the French films in my collection and what’s available to stream from netflix. Haven’t made the final decisions yet.
Thanks for the suggestions, everybody. Our current plan looks like this:
Either pate de canard, Boursin cheese, or baked brie for a starter, depending on what’s available.
Vichyssoise / Potage Parmentier
Cauliflower au Gratin
Pork Tenderloin en Croute
We might serve sorbet as an intermezzo course. If we’d had more time, I’d have made some homemade sorbet since it’s pretty darn easy and tasty, but I don’t think it’d be set properly in time.
