Easter in my kitchen
What I cooked... and what you cooked for Pâques. Or what you might want to cook for your next festive meal.
Well. 2025 was not a very traditional Easter celebration as I didn't follow the staples of le menu de Pâques Easter menu.
I know Easter has passed, but let me show you what I cooked and what recipes were the most successful on my blog here in France. It might give you some ideas for your future gatherings.
As you might know, I have two food blogs (with related social media):
One is in French: www.myparisiankitchen.com Some of you may know that name as it used to be until 2024 my bilingual blog, now split in two separate blogs. My Parisian Kitchen is now dedicated to the French language.
The other that you are following here is in English: www.zestoffrance.com
I share my French recipes and information on French gastronomy on both blogs. The content is the same, but the language is different. They basically have the same recipes, although I still have to translate some for you in English on Zest of France. Upcoming recipes are: Nonnette individual honey, spices, and gingerbread cakes filled with jam, Comté cheese, and herbes de Provence shortbread mini bites for l'apéro, apricot clafoutis, and a Provençal vegetable tart with a gorgeous crown shape I'm sure you're going to love.
Be that as it may, let's jump to 1/ the Easter recipes cooked in France and 2/ my easter menu (some recipes are available on the blog, just click on the link, others are given belox for paid subscribers).
1- Easter recipes cooked in France
First, here are the TOP 10 recipes that got thousands and thousands of views from my French readers to show you what the French really cook for Easter. Some are Easter classics; other are just festive meal ideas.
Deviled eggs flavored with beetroot with such a cute pink color!
Smoked salmon light mousse served on toasts, may it be blinis, baguette or sandwich bread
Pâté berrichon Traditional Easter pâté stuffed with hard-boiled eggs and presented in a fluffy puff pastry.
Slow cooked 7-hour leg of land, the best way to prepare lamb. We alsao say "à la cuillère" / lit. with a spoon as it gets so tender, no need to cut it with a fork.
Pan-fried white asparagus with wild garlic Wild garlic is called bear garlic in French, as one of the firsts plant they see after a long hibernation
Provençal tomatoes Not a Easter classic but such a tasty side that goes well with lamb.
Strawberry tart with sweet shortbread pastry crust and a layer of vanilla pastry cream A crunchy crust, a sweet cream and very flavorful fresh strawberries, miam!
Fontainebleau with strawberry Imagine a mix of whipped cream and soft cheese topped with red fruits. A nice dessert with a rich story
Raspberry tart with light lime cream filling A recipe I created for my husband’s birthday a few years ago
Fantasy chocolate bars This one is only available in French: slowly separately melt different types of chocolates, pour on a tray covered with baking paper, make cute design by blending a bit the chocolates. Add Smarties or MNM's and let harden. That’s all.
2- What I prepared for Easter
As for me, we wanted to make the first plancha party of the season, so here is what I prepared :
Appetizer with Crément de Loire sparkling white wine brought back from Ambroise in the Loire valley, bell pepper dip served with radishes and cucumber and roasted garlic (instructions below)
White asparagus with a mixed fresh aromatic herbs vinaigrette (instructions below)
On the plancha king shrimps (gambas) with garlic & lemon + sautéed Provençal vegetables (instructions below). I was so happy to find zucchini and eggplants grown in France! The firsts of the season! Bell peppers were not French, but at least they were organic.
Cheese platter served with a green salad and homemade vinaigrette
Pineapple with lime and ginger to twist it eaten with sablés bretons cookies brought back from Brittany.
And of course, Easter chocolates. I bought them at a chocolate factory located a few blocks from my home. Two of my daughters were home, so I got each a big milk chocolate egg (I found it very fancy with the lovely arabesque decor, do you like it?) with wrapped inside various small chocolates that we call :
fritures (lit. fried food. This French word is also used to name small fried fishes / whitebait) are small dark, milk, or white chocolates with the shape of fishes or other small animals.
crottes (lit. poo 😊) that are dried fruits covered with chocolate.
A big chocolate egg each, therefore no chocolate hunt in the garden this time!
If you want to learn more about the tradition of Easter chocolate, I've written a detailed article on the blog, check it out. You'l learn all about the origin of Easter chocolate and the symbolism behind the chocolate shapes. Why eggs, bels, rabbits...
Here are the instructions for the recipes I prepared for Easter
Roasted garlic / White asparagus with a mixed fresh aromatic herbs vinaigrette / Provençal vegetables sautéed on the plancha / Homemade vinaigrette
