J'IRAI GOUTER MA NORMANDIE The variety of Norman soils together with the omnipresence of the sea are the basis of a culinary tradition known world-wide.

Butter, cream and cheese, fish and shellfish, beef and pré-salé lamb, cider, Pommeau from Normandy and Calvados, free-range chicken and Norman foie gras, andouille from Vire and Tripe &agrave la mode de Caen (Caen-style tripe), all these Norman products are awaiting your arrival in our restaurants and farm-restaurants.


In the meantime, here are several recipes provided by our best chefs which you can easily prepare yourselves. That way, you can truly taste a little bit of Normandy:

These recipes have been provided by two Norman chef's associations "Gastronomie du Terroir" (Local Gastronomic Specialties) and "Toques normandes" (Norman Chef's Hat).

Preparation

• Cut up the chicken into pieces. Salt and pepper it and lightly brown it in the butter.
• Sprinkle it with a little flour. Mix well. Add the Calvados and flambé it. Add the stock.
• Cook it over a low fire for about 30 minutes.
• While the chicken is cooking, sauté the mushrooms in the remaining butter.
• Remove the chicken and keep it warm.
• Reduce the sauce and add the crème fraîche and egg yolks. Put the sauce through a strainer. Add the mushrooms and heat without bringing the sauce to a boil.
• Arrange the chicken on a platter and pour the sauce over it.

Preparation

• Flute the apples and cut them into three thick slices. Remove the seeds and brown the slices in the butter. They should still be crunchy.
• While the apple are cooking, over a low fire, whip the Calvados and sugar with a whisk until frothy.
• When the zabaglione is firm, serve it on plates and cover it with the apple slices.
• Serve immediately. 

Preparation

• Slice the beef into 3 scallops per person (12 in all).
• Quickly fry the scallops in the butter in order to seal in the juices.
• Add the shallots. 
• Pour off the fat.
• Flambé with the Calvados.
• Sauce :
  - Melt the Camembert,
  - Mix it with the cider and meat glaze,
  - Bring the mixture to a boil,
  - Put the sauce through a strainer and then whip it.
  - Season to taste.
  
• Pour the sauce over the beef scallops.

Preparation

• Peal the apples and cut them into thin slices. Sauté them in the butter and put them aside, keeping them hot.
• Quickly sauté the slices of andouille and place them on a plate, alternating them with the apple slices. 
• Deglaze the frying pan with the Pommeau from Normandy. Add the beef stock and bring to a boil. Pour the sauce over the andouille.

Preparation

• Skin the salmon-trout and cut it into lardoons (1-inch-long slices).
• Heat the olive oil and brown the lardoons in it for 2 minutes on each side. Pour off the fat. Deglaze the frying pan with the cider vinegar.
• Pour this sauce over the salad greens.
• Sprinkle with chopped chives. 

Preparation

• Sauté the duck breast in the butter. When they are pink, remove them, keeping them warm.
• Pour off the fat and deglaze the frying pan with the Pommeau from Normandy. Add the poultry stock. 
• Bring to a boil and adjust the seasoning. Reduce the sauce and add the honey. 
• Cut the duck into scallops and pour the sauce over them. 

Suggestion for trimmings: roasted pears or noisette potatoes.

Preparation

• Stuff the ham slices with the poultry dressing to make the "olives".
• Wrap the olives in plastic wrap and steam them for 15 minutes.
• Sauce: Sweat the shallots in the butter. Add the olives and flambé with the Calvados. Add the cider and cook for 10 minutes. Reduce the sauce by half. Skim off the sauce and pass it through a strainer. Whip the sauce.
  

Preparation

• Slice the foie gras into 12 scallops. Season them with the salt and pepper and refrigerate them.
• Peel and quarter the apples and remove the seeds. Cook the apples in a frying pan in clarified butter until slightly brown. Remove the apples and place them on a paper towel. Keep them hot. 
• Pour the fat off the frying pan and pour in the Pommeau from Normandy. Flambé it and reduce by one-half.
• Incorporate the cream. Salt and pepper and cook the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes over a low fire.
• Heat a serving plate and arrange the foie gras and apples on it in a fan shape. 
• Pour the sauce over it. 
  
  
  Suggestions for a accompanying beverages: Gewurztraminer, Chablis, Fine bottled cider.
  
  

Preparation

• Open the oysters, release the flesh and keep them in their juice.
• Peel the pears, remove the seeds, slice them and cook them in a small amount of water. 
• Heat a sauté pan and place the oysters and their juice in it. Bring them to a boil and then drain them on a piece of cloth, keeping them warm.
• Reheat the sauté pan again and melt the butter in it.
• Salt and pepper the foie gras scallops and cook them quickly. 
• Remove them and keep them warm. Pour off the fat and deglaze the frying pan with the Perry. Add the veal stock and bring to a boil.
• Check the seasoning. 
• Arrange the foie gras scallops and pears on plates and pour the sauce over them.
• Serve immediately.

Preparation

• Season the slices of lamb and sauté them in a frying pan. When the lamb is rare, deglaze the pan with the Pommeau from Normandy. Remove the lamb. Add the lamb juice and bring the gravy to a boil. Adjust the seasoning and pour the gravy into a gravy boat. 
• Garnish with flagéolets (green kidney-shaped beans similar in taste to lima beans), green beans and noisette potatoes.
• Serve hot.

Preparation

• Peel and the apples and remove the seeds. Cut them into chunks and put them into a saucepan with the Calvados, the Pommeau from Normandy and the shallots. 
• Reduce this mixture by 3/4 and then add the crème fraîche. Stir and cook over a low fire.
• Open the oysters, release the flesh, reserving the juice. Add the juice to the sauce.
• Stir and pass through a fine strainer.
• Place a small amount of the sauce on each oyster.
• Pepper and place under a preheated grill.
• The oysters are ready when the sauce becomes slightly blond.

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to #5 (375° F)
• Line a pie pan with the dough and then place the apple slices on it. Cook 25 minutes.
• Halfway through, add the orange zest, the lemon juice and the sugar and flambé with the Calvados.
• Finish baking and serve warm, sprinkled with the almonds.

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to #8 (525° F). 
• Mix together the cheese (rind removed), the egg yolk, the crème fraîche and a small amount bit of the milk until fairly smooth.
• Add the nutmeg and pepper.
• Roll out the dough and line a 25-30 cm (10-12 inch) pie pan with it. 
• Pour the filling into the pan and bake for 25 minutes.
• Remove from the pan and serve hot or warm.