I grew up in a mixed family where we had various cuisines depending on the day and occasion. And recently I’ve re-discovered a meal from my childhood that is very simple, quickly prepared and very delicious! So, as a continuation of the French theme, I would like to share with you this recipe of a French-style meat, so you can try it out over the Valentine’s weekend, in case you’re still thinking about your weekend dish plans!
You may wonder: Loreta, is it the way the French prepare their meat? Why is it called French meat casserole? I actually read online that apparently, it has been one of the most popular baked dishes in the Russian cuisine and that the French-style meat is a Russian invention that the French don’t even know about. So, please see below, how this delicious invention is prepared!
Ingredients:
- 2-4 large onions
- 500 g. of pork
- 600 g. of potatoes
- 250-350 g. of hard cheese
- 200-250 grams of mayonnaise OR 100 g. mayonnaise + 100 g. creme fraiche
- Some vegetable oil
- Salt, Pepper and seasoning to taste
Cooking:
1. Grease a cooking tray with vegetable oil, season meat stakes with salt and pepper, and lay them out on the cooking tray, as shown below:
2. Cut the onions into onion rings and cook on the pan until they have a nice golden colour. Cover the pork evenly with a layer of onion rings.
3. Cut the peeled potatoes into thin slices, season with salt and pepper, and place them on top of the onions.
4. Sprinkle grated hard cheese over the potatoes. Cover it with mayonnaise or mayonnaise + creme fraiche, as you prefer. I prefer using both the mayonnaise + creme fraiche, mixing both together first and then covering potatoes using a table spoon.
5. Bake the meal at a temperature of 180-200 degrees Celsius for about 30-50 min, depending on your oven. I may dig in with a fork to see, if the meat layer is ready, you can tell it, if the fork can easily pick up some meat and potatoes. I usually check the top layer with cheese and mayonnaise+creme fraiche. When the crust is golden, then the French meat casserole is ready.
I hope you give it a try, as it’s so delicious! And please let me know in the comments below, if you liked it, I am very curious to hear!
Have a great weekend, my friends, I’m so happy to connect with you all!
With love, Loreta
