Specialities & delicacies of the Languedoc Roussillon

Recipes and histories of some of the region’s local specialities

The passionate region of the Languedoc Roussillon delights in its strong culinary traditions which are attributed to the unique and diverse blend of its multi-cultural peoples. From hearty Cassoulet stews to traditional Spanish paella, there is a rich mix of cuisine to suit every palate – made sweeter by the excellent local produce!

Crème Catalane

If you’re looking for a traditional Languedoc-Roussillon dessert to delight your dinner guests, then why not turn your hand to the surprisingly simple preparation of a Crème Catalane – a favourite from the French Catalonia area in the south of the region bordering Spain. Crème Catalane Recipe

Mille Feuille with Truffle Mousse from Maison Gayda

Chef Pascal Ledroit creates classy gourmet dishes in the upper floor Maison Gayda restaurant at the Domaine Gayda winery south of Carcassonne, using local and organic produce grown in the same soils as the Gayda wines that are served with the food. Here he shares one of his speciality dessert recipes, Mille Feuille with Truffle Mousse, for you to recreate at home.

The Great Cassoulet Recipe Debate

It’s hard to imagine many people getting as excited and passionate about a Lancashire hot pot as the French do over a cassoulet; but of course to the French food is more than just food, and as far as they’re concerned this traditional Audois dish is definitely more than just a bean stew!
Cassoulet Debate

The only Cassoulet recipe you’ll ever need!?

The recipe for a perfect Audois cassoulet is a subject of much debate – some of it bordering on the fanatical! Gemma Driver takes her life in her hands by asking what all the fuss is about, and gives you her definitive recipe …
Cassoulet Recipe

Boeuf Bourguignon from Le Couvent

FrenchEntrée is delighted to publish this wonderful recipe from Le Couvent B&B in Roujan. Your next dinner guests are sure to be delighted when you serve up this delicious French classic.
Boeuf Bourguignon Recipe

Lime and Basil Sorbet from Le Couvent

FrenchEntrée is delighted to publish this wonderful recipe from Le Couvent B&B in Roujan. A refreshing sorbet, perfect for sultry summer evenings in the Languedoc.
Lime and Basil Sorbet Recipe

Olive Tapenade Recipe

Olive tapenade on toast is an ubiquitous element of any apéritif accompaniment in the Languedoc. This olive tapenade recipe is a local recipe from the Gard, Languedoc, hence it is an utterly authentic recipe and utterly delicious!
Tapenade Recipe

Growing Olives in the South of France

What struck me immediately on my first visit to Languedoc was the common nature of olive trees – they grow in gardens, they grow on pavements, they grow in front of supermarkets, they grow in the middle of roundabouts. So, I ask myself, how do they get from tree to table? And can I pick the olives in my own garden?
Growing Olives

Journées de l’Olive – Annual Olive Festival in Nimes

Over three days in May Nimes becomes the Mediterranean focal point for olives. In 2004 15,000 visitors and 100 exhibitors made the event the largest olive-centred market in France. This is an event not to be missed by gourmands everywhere!
Nimes Olive Festival

Camargue Rice from the Languedoc, and Rice Salad Recipe

A look at the traditional rice cultivation in the region, and a yummy recipe too! The first cultivation of rice in the Camargue dates back to around 1600. There are now 10,000 hectares of rice grown in the region, much of it exported across the world.
Camargue Rice

French Onion Soup Recipe from the Languedoc Cévennes

French onion soup from the Languedoc Cévennes is perhaps not everyone’s immediate favourite dish. But have you actually tried it?! No? well, by all accounts they get cold up there in the Cévennes and this is what they eat to warm themselves up and keep going until the summer comes back round. If it works for them, it could help us through a cold winter too!
Onion Soup

Tarte Aux Pommes Recipe from the Languedoc

The reinette apple is an apple grown widely in the Languedoc Cévennes and is ripe at the beginning of winter. It is good for eating fresh as well for cooking. If you ask anyone who lives in the Languedoc how to make an apple tart, you will get many different versions, this is one we like.
Tarte aux Pommes

Grilled Mushrooms stuffed with Pélardon Goat’s Cheese
Pelardon, a little round of goat’s cheese, has been produced since Roman times in the Languedoc, and now is produced in five departments surrounding the Gard and the Cévennes region. Here is a little taste of its history and a delicious way to serve it!
Pelardon Cheese

Guide to Truffles in the Languedoc, plus a couple of recipes

For those who believe that the truffle only grows in the Perigord, think again: the black truffle is also cultivated in Provence and the Languedoc. Here is a guide to truffles in the Languedoc and Provence regions – some history, and some advice about buying truffles, about preparing them and some simple authentic truffle recipes from the region.
Languedoc Truffles

Languedoc Salads and Vinaigrettes
Salads in France, and especially the Languedoc are much more than a few leaves of lettuce on a side plate. They can comprise a meal in themselves, or at least a separate course. When made with fresh local produce and the right vinaigrette they are delightul starters for the meal ahead.
Salads and Vinaigrettes