French Seafood Dishes

This thick, creamy, and rich puréed soup traditionally includes ingredients such as cream, seafood, cognac or wine, and a combination of spices. The origin of its name is still debated – some claim that the word refers to a soup that ... READ MORE

This traditional Provençal fish soup (and stew) originated in the 18th century when it was first concocted by Marseillaise fishermen, who would prepare it using the leftovers from their daily catch, making the best of what they had in their... READ MORE

Roughly translated as in the manner of miller’s wife, the term à la meunière refers to a French cooking technique in which a whole fish or fish fillets are lightly dusted in flour and then sautéed in bu... READ MORE

Plateau de fruits de mer, which translates to a plate of fruits of the sea, is a traditional dish that consists of various kinds of seafood served on a platter, usually over crushed ice. Typical seafood used in this dish includes a variet... READ MORE

Moules à la marinière is a classic French dish that consists of mussels cooked in cider or wine-based sauces. The dish is typically made with shallots, garlic, and herbs such as parsley, thyme, and bay leaves, which are sweated in so... READ MORE

This classic French seafood dish is prepared with sole fillets that are lightly breaded in plain flour and pan-fried in butter. When the fish is ready, lemon juice is added to the pan and cooked shortly until all of the flavors are combined. The f... READ MORE

The extravagant lobster Thermidor is a classic French dish. Made with lobster meat which is sautéed in wine or cognac, and mixed with a creamy egg-based sauce and cheese, the dish is assembled and baked in whole lobster tails. Numerous stor... READ MORE

Originally a poor man’s dish, soupe de poisson à la rouille is a classic French soup and a close cousin of the famous bouillabaisse. The soup is usually prepared with white fish that is cook... READ MORE

Matelote is a popular French fish stew made with freshwater fish such as eel, salmon, and carp, a fish stock broth, and the best red or white wines. The name matelote means sailor in French, and the stew is also known as fish... READ MORE

Grilled sardines are a simple, traditional seafood dish especially common in coastal Mediterranean areas and during summer months, when fresh sardines are plentiful. The dish is straightforward and emphasizes the natural flavors of the sardines: t... READ MORE

Moules marinière à la crème is a variation on the famous dish called moules marinière. This variation, popular in northern France, is made with mussels, garlic, crème fraîche, parsley, white wine, butter, s... READ MORE

Moules farcies is a French dish in which mussels are stuffed and baked or grilled. The dish is prepared with mussels, butter, parsley, garlic, shallots, black pepper, nutmeg, and breadcrumbs. The butter is combined with garlic, shallots, nutmeg, a... READ MORE

Also known as bouillabaisse's cousin, bourride is a popular fish stew originating from the French region of Languedoc-Roussillon, unlike bouillabaisse, which originated in the city of Marseilles. Most commonly it is made with white fish s... READ MORE

Poisson à la bordelaise is a traditional fish dish originating from Bordeaux. The dish is usually made with a combination of hake, cod or halibut, breadcrumbs, butter, white wine, lemon juice, garlic, shallots, olive oil, salt, and black pe... READ MORE

Mouclade is a traditional dish originating from La Rochelle in south west France. In order to prepare it, mussels are cooked with cream, saffron, white wine, and herbs. The key is in using the freshest mussels – preferably small, black, and ... READ MORE

Salade de poulpe is a traditional octopus salad originating from Languedoc. The salad is usually made with a combination of tenderized octopus, potatoes, white wine, onions, fennel, capers, parsley, paprika, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juic... READ MORE

Cotriade is a traditional fish stew originating from the south of Britanny. The stew is made with different types of fish such as mackerel, hake, red mullet, conger eel, sprats, and herring, along with onions, garlic, potatoes, leeks, oil, and vin... READ MORE

Saumon à l'oseille is a French dish consisting of a salmon fillet with sorrel in a creamy fish sauce. It's made with salmon, dry white wine, fish stock, crème fraîche, sorrel leaves, lemon, butter, shallots, and a bit of Marsal... READ MORE

Moules à la crème Normande is a traditional mussel dish originating from Normandy. It's made with mussels in a creamy sauce consisting of butter, cream, onions, garlic, shallots, cider, parsley, salt, and pepper. The onions, shallots... READ MORE

Encornets farcis is a French seafood dish consisting of squid stuffed with a variety of flavorful ingredients. The filling is a combination of breadcrumbs, milk, butter, carrots, celery, onions, and flavorings such as thyme and parsley. When serve... READ MORE

Maquereaux au vin blanc is a traditional fish dish originating from France. The dish is usually made with a combination of mackerel, white wine, onions, garlic, bay leaves, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, salt, peppercorns, lemon rind, lemon juice... READ MORE

Moules au safran is a traditional mussel dish originating from France. The dish is usually made with a combination of mussels, onions, carrots, celery, butter, thyme, bay leaves, bell peppers, saffron, white wine, crème fraîche, parsl... READ MORE

Once reserved only for the wealthy people, today the lamprey is a popular delicacy in the Bordeaux region, caught between December and May in the Dordogne and the Gironde estuary. The dish consists of lamprey stewed with cured ham, red wine, vario... READ MORE

Bar au beurre blanc is a traditional fish dish prepared with sea bass (also called loup de mer) as the main ingredient. The fish has a delicate flavor, and it's poached in a lightly flavored court-bouillon in this dish, either whole or af... READ MORE

Éclade de moules is a traditional dish of mussels cooked under pine needles. It originated in the Charente-Maritime department on the western coast of France. There, the local mussel fishermen used dry needles from the surrounding pine fore... READ MORE

Calamars à la basquaise is a traditional dish originating from the French Basque Country. The dish is usually made with a combination of squid, onions, garlic, tomatoes, bell peppers, white wine, olive oil, pieces of chorizo sausage, salt, ... READ MORE

Thon Basquaise is a traditional dish originating from the Pays Basque. It's made with a combination of tuna steaks, olive oil, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and red bell peppers. The steaks are seasoned with salt and pepper, then fried and topped with... READ MORE

Truite au bleu is an unusual and nearly forgotten French dish in which a trout becomes blue-colored before being poached. The trout needs to be as fresh as possible – it is first stunned (usually by hitting it on the head), then gutted, and ... READ MORE

Cabillaud aux herbes is a traditional fish dish originating from Provence. The dish is usually made with a combination of cod fillets, breadcrumbs, butter, olive oil, seasonings, and herbs such as parsley, tarragon, and thyme. The breadcrumbs are ... READ MORE

Lobster a l'americaine is a traditional dish with many variations and optional ingredients. It's usually made with a combination of lobster meat, carrots, celery, shallots, tomato paste, garlic, dry white wine, cognac or dry sherry, chicken or fis... READ MORE

Marmite dieppoise is a traditional fish stew originating from Dieppe on the Normandy coast. The fish stew is usually made with a combination of scallops, prawns, mussels, salmon or monkfish, mushrooms, heavy cream, shallots, white wine, thyme, bay... READ MORE

Sole à la Normande is a traditional dish originating from Normandy. It's made with a combination of sole fillets, onions or shallots, parsley, salt, pepper, and cider. The fillets are seasoned, rolled, and placed into buttered dishes with o... READ MORE

Brochet au four is a traditional fish dish originating from France. The dish is usually made with a combination of pike, onions, garlic, sorrel, butter, eggs, wine, cornflour, heavy cream, breadcrumbs, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.... READ MORE

There are a number of ways one can prepare shrimp canapés. Toast, cucumber slices, or pumpernickel bread are often coated with either a shrimp paste or a chopped shrimp spread. There is also a method where the base of the canapés is ... READ MORE

Merlu koskera is a traditional dish originating from the Basque region. The dish is prepared with hake (merlu), peas, mussels, asparagus, carrots, shallots, white wine, butter, garlic, eggs, thyme, bay leaves, and parsley. The hake is cut... READ MORE

Bullinada is a traditional seafood and potato stew, associated with the Catalan cultural and historical domain, which means both the Spanish Catalonia and French Catalonia (the region of Pyrénées-Orientales). Bullinada is a warm, cre... READ MORE

Pôchouse is a traditional freshwater fish stew originating from the French region of Burgundy. Fish such as eel, sea bass, pike, and tench is poached in Aligoté, a white wine from the region. Garlic, bacon, thyme, and bay lea... READ MORE

This traditional dish consists of pieces of cuttlefish doused in a flavorful tomato-based sauce that is usually enriched with onions, white wine, and garlic. The dish is usually finished off with the addition of aioli, which thickens the ... READ MORE

Sole beurre blanc is a traditional dish prepared with sole fish as the main ingredient. Apart from the sole fillets, the dish is made with a combination of lemon, butter, shallots, white wine, white wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and a bit of olive o... READ MORE

Whether made in a simple or a more elaborate and expensive variety, these canapés can be prepared with either smoked, raw, or blanched oysters, which can then — depending on the recipe — be made into a spread or used as a toppin... READ MORE

Mataba au poisson is a traditional dish originating from Mayotte, an overseas department and region of France. The dish is usually made with a combination of mackerel, coconut milk, garlic, onions, pounded cassava leaves, and salt. The fish is coo... READ MORE