Written by Laverne Miller for thebrentwoodrestaurant.com

    If there is one cuisine that has been able to inspire much of the Western world more than others, that would probably be French. This, in addition to the reputation of French cuisine as fancy and grand, can sometimes turn home cooks off. However, in reality, there are a lot of simple French meals that people can actually replicate at home. That said, here are some that you can try cooking from the comforts of your home:

Cheater’s Bouillabaisse

     When we speak of famous French stews, one of the things that come to mind is Bouillabaisse. However, following the recipe to the dot can be a bit too overwhelming, pricey and time-consuming. If you want to try a steaming bowl of this seafood stew but without the hassle, try following Purewow’s One-Pot Cheater’s Bouillabaisse. To prepare this dish, all you have to do is combine olive oil, leeks, fennel, salt, pepper, garlic, tomatoes, seafood stock, orange, saffron, bay leaf, shrimp, cod, mussels and fresh parsley in a casserole dish.

    If you don’t have one at home and are planning to invest in one, we highly suggest going for ones that have great heat retention. Some of the best casserole dishes available in the market allow cooks to lock in the meal’s heat for hours and even have a hard enamel interior that can help improve your dish over time.

Slow-Cooker Coq Au Vin

     Believe it or not, even novice home cooks can try their hand at French cooking. A great testament to that statement is Delish’s Slow-Cooker Coq Au Vin. This hearty dish is perfect for those who would like to create a delicious entree but aren’t quite equipped with the cooking skills. The ingredients you’d need to make this dish are bacon, chicken, carrots, yellow onion, garlic, red wine, chicken stock, thyme, bay leaves, tomato paste and cremini mushrooms.

     Once you’ve gathered all your ingredients, all you have to do is pour everything in a slow cooker and leave it all for seven hours on a low setting. If you do not have a slow cooker at home, you can use a rice cooker instead. After all, many of the best small rice cookers these days also can also double as other kitchen appliances such as food warmers, steamers, pressure cookers and slow cookers. Some of the newer models even have turbo convection that can cook your food evenly and at a much faster rate than older models.

Pistachio Financiers

     If you want to add a twist to your tea parties, try baking some of Food and Wine’s Pistachio Financiers. This one is so absurdly easy to make that you can even do this with your little ones. As for the ingredients, all that you’d need are whole blanched almonds, sugar, eggs, unsalted butter, all-purpose flour and pistachios.

     To make sure that the nuts are well incorporated into your dough, grind the almonds and pistachios into a fine powder using a food processor. When it comes to food processors, it is best to stick with ones that boast an impressive number of slicing settings. This feature will not only help you prepare a wide array of meals but also allow you to have perfectly diced and minced vegetables.