Festive Cooking: A Simple and Hearty Provençal Holiday Menu

The key to a successful holiday meal is a simple menu: a seasonal appetizer, a slow-cooked main course prepared the day before, and a dessert waiting in the fridge. My Provençal holiday menu: pumpkin and chestnut soup, Provençal beef stew, and pears poached in wine and spices.

As a fan of chichourle, on the day of the party, I want to raise a glass with my guests under the pergola—not slave away in the kitchen.

My Provençal Holiday Menu

• Appetizer: black tapenade, anchoïade, and crisp vegetables, along with a few golden panisses.
• Entry: Cream of pumpkin soup with pan-roasted chestnuts and a drizzle of olive oil.
• Main Course: Provençal stew with olives, served with fresh pasta or creamy polenta.
• Cheese: a piece of Banon cheese and a piece of Rove brousse, with a little honey.
• Dessert: Pears poached in red wine, cinnamon, and orange.

Ingredients for the stew (serves 6)

• 1.5 kg of beef for braising (chuck, shoulder, cheek), cut into 5-cm cubes
• 150 g of salted bacon bits
• 75 cl of full-bodied red wine
• 2 onions
• 3 carrots
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf, parsley)
• 1 wide strip of untreated orange zest
• 2 cloves
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 120 g black olives
• Salt and pepper

Even though this recipe is for 2 people, make enough for 4 using 1 kg of meat and 50 cl of wine: the stew tastes even better when reheated and freezes very well.

Preparation: 30 min · Marinade: 12 p.m. · Cooking: 3 hours and 30 minutes

The Step-by-Step Recipe

1. The day before, place the meat in a large bowl with the sliced carrots, 1 thinly sliced onion, crushed garlic, the bouquet garni, orange zest, and cloves. Cover with wine, cover with plastic wrap, and let marinate for 12 hours in the refrigerator.
2. The next day, drain the meat, reserving the marinade and vegetables, then pat the pieces dry with paper towels.
3. In a cast-iron casserole dish, brown the bacon bits in olive oil, then remove them. Sear the meat in 3 batches, 5 minutes each, until it’s nicely browned.
4. Return all the meat and bacon bits to the pan, add the second finely chopped onion, sprinkle with flour, and stir for 2 minutes.
5. Pour in the marinade with its vegetables and herbs, add the tomato paste, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes.
6. Cover and let simmer for 3 hours over very low heat, or in the oven at 150 °C: the sauce should barely simmer.
7. Add the olives 30 minutes before the end of cooking. The meat should fall apart easily with a fork; remove the bouquet garni and the zest, then adjust the seasoning.

My Cooking Tips

• Cook it the day before: Once cooled, the stew is easy to skim the fat from, since the fat solidifies on the surface, and the flavors blend together. Reheat it for 30 minutes over low heat.
• The cream soup: 1 1-kg butternut squash, 1 onion, and 1 liter of broth; cook for 25 minutes, then purée with 10 cl of cream. Garnish with 150 g of cooked chestnuts sautéed in butter.
• Pears: Place 6 peeled pears in a pot and simmer them for 20 to 25 minutes in 75 cl of red wine with 150 g of sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, and some orange zest, then let them cool in the syrup.
• Macaronade: In Provence, the leftover sauce is mixed with macaroni and Parmesan cheese. That's often what we like best the next day.

Under the pergola: how to serve

Serve the stew in its casserole dish, in the center of the table, with fresh pasta tossed in butter or creamy polenta to soak up the sauce. A red Bandol is a must, and a white Cassis to pair with the cream soup and cheese—to be enjoyed in moderation.

The right timing: marinate two days in advance, prepare the stew and pears the day before, and make the cream of [vegetable] soup in the morning. On the big day, all you have to do is reheat and plate the food. Under the closed bioclimatic pergola with a space heater, or under the golden vine when the weather is mild, the celebration lasts until coffee time.

Your Questions

What's a quick and easy holiday menu?

Choose a dish that cooks on its own, such as a stew, a leg of lamb, or a roast chicken. Pair it with an appetizer you’ve prepared in advance and a dessert that keeps in the fridge. Fewer dishes, but well-prepared: that’s the key.

What meat dish should I serve for a holiday meal?

Beef stew, seven-hour leg of lamb, roasted guinea fowl, or beef tenderloin en croûte are all safe bets. Stews have the advantage of being able to be prepared the day before and can withstand a delay. For poultry, check the internal temperature: 74 °C at the center.

How can you make a holiday menu unique?

Focus on local ingredients rather than complicated recipes: here, that means panisses, Brousse du Rove, olives, and figs. A common thread—like the orange, which appears in everything from main courses to desserts—does the rest.

What meal ideas are there for a family gathering?

A large dish to share, placed in the center of the table: stew, lasagna, or leg of lamb. Plan to serve side dishes that the kids love, like pasta or mashed potatoes. And a dessert you make together with them—it keeps them busy and makes them happy.

How far in advance should I prepare the stew?

It can be cooked up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator, covered. It also freezes very well, for up to 3 months. Reheat it gently, without letting it come to a rolling boil, so the meat stays tender.