A Taste of French Christmas Elegance
London chef Matthew Ryle of Maison François and Cafe François has revealed his stunning French-inspired Christmas menu that brings Gallic sophistication to British holiday tables. The celebrated chef shares his expertise in creating a traditional French festive feast centred around roast capon with chestnuts, layered pommes Anna potatoes, and an impressive twice-baked comté soufflé.
Rooted in French culinary tradition, this menu showcases the elegance of seasonal cooking that defines Christmas celebrations across the Channel. The combination captures the spirit of comfort and indulgence that characterises traditional French gastronomy at its finest.
The Main Event: Roast Capon with Rustic Chestnuts
The centrepiece of Ryle's Christmas menu is roast capon, the festive bird of choice in France, prized for its tender, delicious meat. This isn't your ordinary roast chicken - capon offers superior flavour and texture that makes it perfect for special occasions.
The detailed preparation begins the day before serving. You'll need a 3-3.5kg capon with liver and gizzard, or alternatively an extra-large chicken. The bird is generously seasoned inside and out, then stuffed with a whole black truffle along with its liver and gizzard before being trussed securely.
After rubbing with olive oil and additional seasoning, the capon roasts breast-side up at 160C (140C fan) for approximately two and a half hours, with regular basting to ensure perfectly crisp, golden skin.
The accompanying chestnuts require careful preparation. Using 1.5kg fresh chestnuts (or 450g pre-peeled), you'll need to slit each shell before boiling briefly in salted water. Peeling while warm is essential to remove both the outer shell and thin inner skin. The peeled chestnuts are then gently cooked in butter with celery ribs and chicken stock for 20 minutes before being added to the roasting pan during the final five minutes of cooking to absorb the delicious meat juices.
Buttery Pommes Anna: A Potato Masterpiece
No French feast would be complete without potatoes, and Ryle's pommes Anna represents the pinnacle of potato preparation. This classic dish involves thinly sliced potatoes layered with generous amounts of butter and baked until golden and crisp.
The process begins by clarifying 300g butter (or using 250g clarified butter or ghee) - gently heating until the milk solids separate, then skimming off the froth. Eight large floury potatoes, ideally Maris Pipers, are peeled and sliced to 1mm thickness using a mandoline for consistency.
Each slice is coated in the clarified butter and generously seasoned before being layered in a flat-sided nonstick pan or oven dish lined with greaseproof paper. The potatoes are weighed down with a heavy pan and baked at 180C (160C fan) for ninety minutes until tender when pierced with a knife.
The crucial step? Refrigerating overnight to set completely. Before serving, the pommes Anna is turned out onto a baking tray and finished in a 220C (200C fan) oven for 20-30 minutes until golden and evenly crisp all over, with additional brushing of melted clarified butter to enhance the crunch.
The Grand Finale: Twice-Baked Comté Soufflé
Completing this spectacular menu is Ryle's twice-baked comté soufflé, a timeless French favourite that's surprisingly simple to prepare yet guaranteed to impress Christmas guests. The chef recommends serving it with a crisp green salad for the perfect contrast.
The soufflé begins with a cheese base made from butter, flour, milk, nutmeg, and 100g grated comté, blended with egg yolks, double cream and Dijon mustard. The magic happens when stiffly beaten egg whites are carefully folded into the warm cheese base before baking in buttered ramekins at 170C (150C fan) for 12-16 minutes.
The twice-baked aspect comes into play after the initial cooking. The soufflés are turned out onto trays and can happily wait at room temperature until you're ready to serve. A luxurious cheesy leek sauce - made with butter, finely sliced leek, garlic, double cream and camembert - is poured over before a final five-minute blast in a 240C (220C fan) oven until beautifully gratinated.
The accompanying green salad features a sophisticated dressing of Dijon mustard, white-wine vinegar, garlic and rapeseed oil, finished with lemon juice and tossed with whole lettuce leaves, diced shallot and chopped chives.
This complete French Christmas menu from Matthew Ryle demonstrates how traditional techniques and quality ingredients can create an unforgettable festive dining experience that celebrates the very best of French culinary heritage.
