3 Parisian Bistro-Inspired Comfort Food Recipes to Bring a Taste of Paris Home

Confit Lamb with Roasted Eggplant and Baby Potatoes

Inspired by a dish from the bistro L’Étoile de Montmartre, this recipe is the perfect example of elevated comfort food that French bistros are known for. Traditionally, “confit” refers to any sort of preserved food. Before refrigeration, meat, fruit or vegetables would be preserved by slowly cooking, then cooling and finally storing the food in a liquid that is inhospitable to bacterial growth. Today, however, with the convenience of refrigeration, referring to a food as confit generally means it has been very slowly cooked while completely submerged in warm fat. If you cannot find summer savory, try using thyme instead as it will most closely match the flavour. As a final note, take care to start this recipe a day ahead as the lamb needs some time to set up overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Sausage With Aligot

This recipe takes its inspiration from a dish at the bistro Le Trésor. A regional dish from central France, aligot is a thick, stretchy and unbelievably rich blend of potatoes and cheese that is generally served on special occasions alongside sausages or roasted meats. While traditionally made with Tomme de Laguiole or Tomme d’Auvergne cheese, you can also use other melting cheeses more readily available to us here in North America, such as Swiss, gruyere, fontina or comte.

Rabbit Escabeche With Grilled Cabbage and Tarragon Green Peppercorn Mayonnaise

This delightful appetizer featuring rabbit gets its inspiration from a similar dish served at Restaurant Janine. At its root, escabeche is a transcontinental method of preserving and flavouring food using some type of acidity (usually vinegar, but also sometimes wine). Here, the gamey meat finds a nice balance with the sweet, charred cabbage and acidity in the braising liquid-turned-sauce.