17 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀

#French #classical #menu
- Hors-d oeuvre / Appetizer
Are of spicy in nature in order to stimulate the appetite for the dishes that are to follow in the course.

In recent years, hors d’oeuvres have gained popularity, and now appear on most of the menus in modest eating places.

Served from a rotating trolley or a tray a small amount of each variety being placed on the plate to make up a portion.
Examples Of Hors d oeuvres are :
Salads: Beet root, Potato Salad, Tomato Salad, Fish Mayonnaise, Russian Salad
Caviar : Roe of sturgeon fish
Shellfish cocktail : Prawns or shrimps on a bed of shredded lettuce covered with tomato flavoured mayonnaise.

Melon Frappe : Chilled Melon

Saumon Fume : Smoked Salmon

Pate maison : Goose or chicken liver, cooked , sieved and well seasoned.

2 - Potage / Soup

Soup also act as an appetizer for the further courses to come. Soups like clear soup(consommé) and the other a thick soup (crème, veloute, puree) are served during this course. Although it must be noted that the clear soup is always placed first on the menu.

Examples of Potage :

Consommé julienne : - clear soup garnished with strips of root vegetables

Consommé celestine : - clear soup garnished with strips of savoury pancakes.

Bisque d homard :- thick lobster- flavored soup

Green Bean Soup : - cream of Green Beans

Soup a l oignon : - clear onion soup

3 - Oeuf / Egg

Oeufs are the dishes made from egg. There are many styles of cooking and preparation of eggs such as boiled, en cocotte, poached or scrambled. This course is not included in the dinner menu.

Examples of egg dishes are:

Omelette espagnole – Flat omelette with onions, peppers and tomatoes

Omelette aux tomates : - tomato omelette

Omlette aux champignons : - mushroom omelette

Oeuf poche florentine : - poached egg on a bed of spinach coated with cheese sauce & gratinated

Oeuf brouille au lard : - scrambled egg with bacon.

4 - Farinaceous / Farineaux / Pasta or Rice

This is Italy's contribution to the courses of the menu. It includes different kinds of rice and pasta. Pasta dishes are spaghetti, lasagne and gnocchi. There are more than 200 varieties of pasta. The ingredients, size, shape and colour determine the type of pasta.

Examples of farinaceous dishes are:

Spaghetti napolitine – spaghetti in a tomato- and garlic- flavoured sauce.

Ravioli : - noodle type pasta filled with a variety of stuffing, such as chicken, beef, and spinach

Cannelloni : - rolls of ravioli paste filled with stuffing as for ravioli.

Gnocchi romaine – semolina based.

Spaghetti bolognaise – spaghetti blended with minced lean beef with rich brown sauce.

5 - Poisson / Fish

Poisson are the dishes made from fish. Fish, being soft-fibred,prepares the palate for the heavier meats that follow. Ideal fish for dinner menu compilation are: Sole, Salmon, Halibut, Escallops, etc. Rarely seen on a menu for the evening meal are: Cod, Bass, Haddock, Brill, Hake, and Plaice.

Examples of fish dishes are:

Sole meuniere : - Sole shallow fried in butter.

Sole colbert : - Sole, flour, egg and bread crumbed and deep fried. (fillets).

Sole cubat : - fillet of sole poached, dressed on a mushrooms puree and coated with a cheese sauce.

Darne de saumon grillee, sauce bearnaise – salmon cutlet grilled with an egg- and butter based sauce flavoured with tarragon.

Homard Newburg : - Lobster served with thickened sauce of fish stock and cream flavoured with brandy and finished with butter.

6 - Entrée / Entree

The First in the meat course Entrées are generally small, well garnished dishes which come from the kitchen ready for service. They are always accompanied by very rich gravy or sauce when releve follow entrée then potatoes and vegetables are not served with the latter; if, however a releve does not follow the entrée they would be served with the dish.

Examples of this type of dish are :

Poulet saute chasseur : - saute chicken in a rich brown sauce flavoured with tomatoes and mushroom.

Supreme de volaille sur cloche – breast and wing of chicken cooked under a cover in oven.

Steak Daine : - minute steak shallow fried and flavoured with onions and mushrooms finished with red wine or cream.

Chateaubriand : - double fillet steak grilled.

7 - Sorbet / Sorbet

Because of the length of the French classical menu, this course is considered to be the rest between courses . It counteracts the previous dishes, and rejuvenates the appetite for those that are to follow. It is water and crushed ice slush flavoured as a rule with champagne and served in a glass.

Examples of sorbet :

Lemon Sorbet

Champagne Sorbet

Calvados Sorbet

Peach Sorbet

Raspberry Sorbet

8 - Releve / Joints

This is the main meat course on the menu, Releves are normally larger than entrees and take the form of butcher’s joints which have to be carved. These joints are normally roasted. A sauce or a roast gravy with potatoes and green vegetables are always served with this course.