One of the best parts of travelling or holidaying in a new country is experiencing the local food and new flavours. And a ski holiday is no different. There is something so comforting about eating a big bowl of cheesy goodness after a long hard day on the slopes. But there’s no need to wait for your ski holiday to enjoy some yummy mountain food.

Below are a few of our favourite delicious mountain recipes to bring the Alps into your home.

If you don’t want to cook whilst staying in one of our chalets or apartments we have some great options!

French Onion Soup

There’s nothing like a steaming bowl of French onion soup to warm you up on a cold winter day. This classic French dish is made with caramelized onions, beef broth, and plenty of cheese-topped bread for dipping. It’s a comforting and delicious way to refuel after a long day on the slopes.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter
6 large onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
6 cups beef broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
6 slices French baguette
2 cups grated Gruyere cheese

Method:

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are caramelized, about 20-30 minutes. Add the sugar and flour to the saucepan and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the beef broth, wine, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls and place a slice of baguette on top of each bowl. Sprinkle the Gruyere cheese over the top of the bread. Place the bowls under the grill and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes.

“Serve the soup hot, with the cheese-topped bread for dipping”.

Tips: You can use other types of cheese for the Gruyere, such as Emmental or Comte. You can also add a splash of cognac or sherry to the soup for an extra depth of flavor.

Facts about a local cheese – Beaufort

This remarkable cheese was already known in the time of the Romans. It takes about 500 litres (130 gallons) of milk to make a Beaufort of 40 – 45 kg. The cheese is made from the milk given by the mahogany-coloured Beaufort cows, called the Tarines or Tarentaises. This ancient mountain breed originally came from the Indo-Asian continent. Beaufort cheeses come in several versions, Beaufort d’été (summer Beaufort), Beaufort chalet d’alpage and Beaufort d’hiver (winter Beaufort) which is made in the mountain chalets.

Fun fact …. The difference between Camembert and Brie : The main difference between these two kinds of cheese is that Brie has added cream to it, making it slightly creamier and higher in fat.

Baked Mont D’or

Remove the wooden lid and all plastic wrapping from the mont d’or cheese, then return it to its wooden box.

Heat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Stud the top of the cheese with the sprigs of rosemary, then pour over the wine. Put the lid back on the box and wrap well in foil.  

Put on a baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes – the cheese should be melted throughout and the skin should be darkening. Remove from the oven, take off the foil and lid, then break the skin to reveal the warm meltiness beneath. Serve immediately in its box with the ham skewers and breadsticks for dipping

Traditional French Tarte Tatin

Ingredients

1 sheet puff pastry, homemade or frozen (thawed)
1.5 kg apple(1.5 kg)
3 tablespoons water
½ cup sugar(100 g)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Homemade vanilla ice cream, for serving

Method

Using a 9-inch (23 cm) flat-sided cake pan as a template, cut a circle out from the puff pastry. Using a fork, poke holes all over to provide ventilation. Set aside. Peel and quarter the apples, remove the cores. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). n a large saucepan over medium heat, distribute the water and sugar evenly and cook until light amber in color, stirring to help melt any lumps, 5-7 minutes. Add the butter, stirring constantly until the color is a creamy light brown. Add the apples, stirring until they are coated in a thick layer of caramel. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, turning the apples constantly so that they bathe in the caramel. Remove from the heat when the caramel has reduced and little remains in the bottom of the pan. Be careful not to burn the caramel, tasting it from time to time to ensure it does not taste bitter. Arrange the apple slices in concentric circles on the bottom of the cake pan. Press the apples tightly against each other, then pour the remaining caramel over the top. Lay the circle of puff pastry on top. Tuck the puff pastry down the sides of the pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and firm.

Cool for about 1 hour, invert onto a plate. Slice and serve with some creamy vanilla ice cream – enjoy !

Tartiflette (serves 4) – so easy!

Ingredients

750g/1lb 10oz potato
1 onion
115g Lardons
250g Reblochon cheese
145 ml single cream

Method

Preheat the oven to 220C/Gas 7/fan oven 200C. Peel and thickly slice the potatoes, then boil in salted water for 8-10 minutes, until just tender. Drain.. Step 2 Chop onion finely and fry in 25g/1oz butter and a drizzle of olive oil for 5 minutes. Add lardons to the pan; stir well and cook for a further 5 minutes, until the onion and lardons are lightly coloured. Step 3 : Chop the reblochon into chunks, rind and all. Layer half the potatoes in a 1.5 litre/2¾ pint buttered ovenproof dish and scatter over half the onion, bacon and cheese. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Repeat layers, then pour cream evenly over the top and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden. Rest for 5 minutes and then serve with a salad.

The best French toast recipe

“French toast comes out best with thick slices of French loaf bread, several days old”.

Ingredients

4 large eggs
2/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons cinnamon
8 thick slices 2 day old bread
Butter or vegetable oil

Maple syrup, icing sugar and berries !

Method

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and cinnamon. Stir in the orange zest and/or triple sec if using. Whisk the mixture until well blended and pour into a shallow bowl, wide enough to place a slice of the bread you will be using. Place each slice of bread into the milk egg mixture, allowing the bread to soak in some of it. Melt some butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Shake off the excess egg mixture from the bread and place the bread slices onto the hot skillet. Fry the French toast until browned on one side, then flip and brown the other side. Serve the French toast hot with butter, maple syrup, and/or fresh berries

“What a yummy Alpine way to start the day … now go and hit the slopes”!