Читать книгу The First-Time Cook - Sophie Grigson, Sophie Grigson - Страница 52

In the south of France, they do the pick’n’mix starter with much grace. A classic hors d’oeuvre selection may include pâtés and cured hams, or delicious pungent dips and spreads.

Tapenade Buy a jar of this blend of olives, capers and anchovies. Pile it into a pretty little bowl, and finish with a sprig of parsley.

Fromage frais aux fines herbes As a complete contrast, make up your own bowl of creamy pale cheese flecked with green herbs. Buy a pot or two of creamy young goat’s cheese (chèvre frais) and beat in either a little crushed garlic or finely chopped shallot, lots of chopped fresh herbs (parsley, mint, tarragon, chives or whatever you have to hand) and a few spoonfuls of cream or milk if the mixture is still too thick to work as a dip. Then scrape into a bowl and place on the table.

Crudités Serve these with the two dips – in other words, carrot sticks, strips of pepper, celery sticks, pink and white radishes and so on.

French bread The ready-to-bake half baguettes are usually better than the ubiquitous French stick.

French olives These are easy to find. Amongst the best are small, dark, wrinkled Niçoise olives and green picholine olives.

Silvery marinated anchovies Although these may actually have come from Italy or elsewhere, they fit nicely into this southern French ensemble.