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| Secrets of Food and Wine in the Languedoc Region of the South of France |
| by: Sebastien Marquet |
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The Languedoc is a vast area stretching from the
Camargue in the east to the borders of Catalan
Spain in the South and in the North to Toulouse
and Albi; it covers a great diversity of food and
cooking types, all with one common feature -
excellent local ingredients - fruit, vegetables,
wines and cheeses, all of which express the taste
of the sun and the region. Searching for the
secrets of le sud profond has taken us to many
secret corners of the area and on a remarkable
journey across the region. We have seen some of
the most beautiful countryside in the south of
France, Mediterranean scenery scorched by summer
sun, full of pines, rosemary, thyme, wild garlic,
wild leeks, bay and olive trees and a vast
acreage of vines, for this is the largest wine
region in the world. Here you will find all
conceivable types of wine to suit every palate
and pocket; from soft supple aged reds, young
fruity reds, port-like wines, sweet Muscat,
excellent sparkling wines, to fruity or oaked
whites and rosés bursting with summer fruit and
sun. You will be simply amazed at the
sophistication and value for money of today's
Languedoc wines, a very far cry from the 'plonk'
of the past.
Unlike its well-trodden neighbour Provence, the
Languedoc has kept its secrets jealously guarded,
preferring to keep them to those in the know. We
find that the best local recipes use the
delicious local ingredients in a simple manner,
emphasising their character without overlaying
too many fussy flavours. This is the traditional
food of the region, making use of ingredients in
an economical but inspirational manner. Here we
share with you some of these secrets which we are
delighted to serve to our guests at Le Domaine
aux Quat'Saisons.
Summer days and evenings in the Languedoc are
always enjoyed out of doors and what best to
serve for dessert but summer fruit. The flavour
of local ripened peaches and nectarines is truly
astonishing and we favour the white ones for
their heady combination of juiciness and taste.
Puréed the flesh needs no embellishment to make
the most gorgeous white peach Bellini; two
tablespoons of this in a glass of sparkling wine
is divine. In northern climates, the fruit will
need sugar to bring out the flavour, lost in
transport and in under-ripe picking, but not here
.
Garriguette strawberries retain the full flavour
of days gone by and make the most gorgeous
dessert when served with a little of their own
coulis and a home-made vanilla ice cream. This
desert offers the most beautiful colours,
flavours and textures, of pink purée and slightly
soft pale red fruit against white ice cream - yes
this variety of strawberry is not the lipstick
red of those toughies that supermarkets seem to
enjoy. Local melons are at their best served
with a little chilled Muscat wine from St-ean de
Minervois inside them and perhaps a little air
dried ham from the Montagne Noir as a great
summer starter. Local figs, apricots and
cherries are all simply delicious and we like to
poach them in Muscat wine and serve them chilled
on warm evenings for another refreshing desert.
Local sourced vegetables bought freshly that day
at the market form small growers also benefit
from the sunshine and the flavour of tomatoes,
peppers, aubergines and courgettes are
particularly wonderful as all these vegetables
are sun worshippers, light years away from their
northern relatives grown in glass houses. The
Languedoc uses these vegetables to make wonderful
alternatives to ratatouille, the well known dish
from Provence. Our own local dishes are called
cichoumeille (from Montpellier) and samfaina
(from Catalonia) and each consists of a
preparation of aubergines, tomatoes, peppers,
courgettes and onions cooked in olive oil. You
will rarely if ever see these dishes in
restaurants, only in private homes.
The region has always been a favourite with fish
lovers and the production of oysters, mussels and
clams from the vast étangs of the coast provide
locals with excellent seafood at great prices.
This has brought famous fish restaranteurs like
Rick Stein to the area. What better than a
platter of huîtres de Bouzigues enjoyed with a
bottle of Picpoul de Pinet (the regions'
excellent seafood wine, crisp and very fruity,
much more enjoyable than Muscadet in our opinion)
at one of the restaurants along the coast. When
talking of le sud intense, one must never forget
that most Languedocien of preparations, brandade
de morue. An unlikely sounding unctuous but
light puree of salt cod, milk and olive oil,
flavoured often with a little garlic it makes a
great starter, and the leftovers are just
irresistible as a filling for jacket potatoes or
spread on toast. It is rather tricky to make
though and the pureeing of the cod with the milk
and oil takes a little practice. Another of our
guests' favourite fish dishes is loup au beurre
du Montpellier, poached sea bass with a green
herb butter sauce flavoured with anchovy and
capers.
The venerable Roquefort cheese is still produced
in the northern hills of the Languedoc in the
village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon as it has been
for centuries. The cheese is made entirely from
ewe's milk and its flavour and creamy texture is
due to the ageing in caves and the pencillum
glaucum roqueforti mould which is unique to the
cheese. Across the region, goats' cheeses are
widely produced from frais (fresh curds in a
mould) to sec (air dried and aged for 9-12 months
). The majority of our goats' cheese is sourced
from small farms situated within 10 kms of Le
Domaine in the Montagne Noir. These are delicious
and the frais variety especially so when served
with a little mountain honey, a Languedoc
speciality. We love them too with fresh figs
from the garden served warm from the sun that
ripened them; great for breakfast on the terrace.
Across the region, pelardon cheeses are wrapped in
poitrine, (thin slices of bacon-like ham) and
grilled, served with a little salad of mildly
bitter leaves such as chicory or endive (or
dandelions) and with an olive or nut oil dressing
. Walnuts can be added too, if you like, but we
prefer the simpler version, just make sure that
the cheese is not cooked too long or it will lose
its shape.
Another lovely cheese dish is made by mixing
faisselles of goats' cheese with a little finely
chopped fresh mint, serving them with a salad of
thinly sliced oranges marinated in mint syrup. A
cool, fresh dish for when the days are hot and
appetites' flag.
Weather in the winter can be cold, although bright
and sunny; what better to warm the spirit than a
traditional daube de boeuf. Shin of beef is
marinated in red wine, spices (cloves, juniper
berries and nutmeg), a little orange peel, herbs,
onions, plenty of garlic and a little oil and
vinegar and then cooked for hours until meltingly
tender. Served with macaroni it makes an
excellent dish for cooler weather and one we
enjoy preparing immensely. All the flavours of
the region seem to be concentrated in this dish.
Cassoulet is another winter dish (or perhaps feast
) enjoyed by many French people. To enjoy it at
its best, go to Castelnaudary, its spiritual home
, and enjoy it over a long lunch with a good
bottle of local red. The preparation of beans,
cooked with meats, tomatoes, garlic, wine and
confit of duck or goose and saucissons de
Toulouse makes a hearty dish and if well made it
is truly magnificent.
We hope that you will enjoy some of these
specialities when you visit us at:
Hotel Le Domaine aux Quat'Saisons
http://www.southoffrancehotel.com
00 33 (0) 4 68 244 973 |
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This article was posted on June 15, 2007
and reads 9 times. |
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