French cuisine has made a name for itself the world over. We would be mistaken, however, if we thought of France as having but one culinary tradition or approach from end to end, top to bottom. Here in the States, we know all about regional foods — the Big Apple’s pastrami sandwich vs. NOLA’s po’ boy or muffuletta, for instance. All sandwiches, but, as the French might put it: vive la difference!
However, the USA is a big country, teeming with ethnic diversity, which spawns the jumble that is the American menu. France? Not so much. More than eighteen times smaller than the US, France is only a bit larger than California, and far less diverse ethnically. Yet, Chez Renee’s gifted chef, Laurent Degois, knows the subtleties of geographically located French kitchens and brings those nuanced flavors to his tables on a regular basis.
One new development with a geographic twist to it is being presented through seafood specials he is running on a weekly basis. “People (his patrons) want fish; they ask for it; they ask for more of it, and I want to do some fish (entrées). So, this week I am doing a swordfish (dish). I bake it, and season it with a mix of spices, not too much, to add flavors (not heat). I bake it to cook it all the way through, and swordfish, it is a denser fish, like tuna, but denser. The way I do the swordfish, it is a very healthy dish — no cream, no sauce,” he said, adding the entrée features simple ingredients, very clean, with a good, natural flavor profile.
Swordfish and ratatouille house special
The entrée is served with a side of ratatouille, a dish that originated in Provence, very likely in Nice, a hop, skip and jump from present-day Italy, which might lead some (including me) to believe the Italians had something to do with its provenance. How it came to be is murky, but clearer is that French households along the Mediterranean were enjoying the iconic dish by the late 1700s, so no Johnny-come-lately.
As for Degois, he said: “My process (in making ratatouille), I bake the vegetables first, you get more flavor when you bake them.” The veggies consist of eggplant, yellow squash, and zucchini, all cubed into bite-sized pieces. Prior to the veggie bake, Degois puts together a richly flavored sauce made of sweated onions and peppers, mixed with tomatoes, and seasoned with herbs de Provence. The sauce comes together through a slow, careful simmer that lasts two or so hours. “I cook it a long time, then combine with the vegetables for a good vegetable stew.”
The lightly baked brie appetizer
“This dish, the swordfish and the ratatouille, it is a good combination, a dish like you would find in the South of France,” he stated. One obvious reason this fish entrée would be common in Southern France is the availability of fresh catches of seafood from Mediterranean waters. Not so obvious is the herbal content found in Herbs de Provence, a signature mix of dried herbs from France’s southern-most province. Yet another is the use of olive oil to a greater extent than butter as a medium for cooking. Olive oil is in wide use near the Mediterranean Sea, where its centrality was established by ancient Greek traders dating back five millennia to the very first seaborne commerce. As one travels north in France, the prevalence of olive oil diminishes and in northern provinces such as Brittany, Normandy and the Loire valley, butter is used almost exclusively, olive oil hardly at all.
The South of France could be the very cradle of the Mediterranean diet. This way of eating is considered by many leading nutritionists to be the healthiest of diets among civilized contemporary societies. The diet features strong emphasis on fruits and vegetables, legumes, olive oil, tannin-rich red wines, and fish as a healthful animal protein. Good eating! And good for you as well.
Since last we visited Chez Renee, a change has taken place in the bar, known as Chez Albert. From its inception in late 2021, Chez Albert featured elegant cocktails in a French bar setting, with only small-bite appetizers available for patrons having a drink there. Those wanting an entrée had to leave the bar and cross over to the restaurant for meal service. Recently, Degois changed that approach and began serving the full menu — entrées and all else — in the bar. “We have people who come here because we have a bar, and they want to eat at the bar. They prefer the bar, so now we do it,” Degois said.
He pointed out that in France, tradition dictates a different way; go to the bar, have a leisurely cocktail, then move to the dining room for the meal. But his bar/restaurant being in Milford and not Marseilles…
In any event, one can now be served meals in the bar, where there is live blues and jazz music performed Friday and Saturday evenings.
See you soon at Chez Renee!
