Alright, so the other day, I got myself into this whole ‘England versus France’ thing. Not like, some deep historical debate or anything, and definitely not about football, nah. This was way more fundamental in my book: the grub. It’s been one of those low-key arguments in my house for ages, you know how it is.
Getting Started with this Showdown
It all properly kicked off because my mate Barry, who’s English through and through, was going on about how British food gets a bad rap and is actually top-notch. Then, of course, my other friend, who fancies himself a bit of a connoisseur, started extolling the virtues of French cuisine like it’s the only food worth eating. So, I thought, right, that’s it. I’m going to conduct a little experiment. My own personal ‘practice’ session in the kitchen to see what’s what.
I figured I’d pick a well-known, fairly standard dish from each country. Didn’t want to get bogged down with anything too complicated. For England, I settled on making a classic Shepherd’s Pie. And for France, I decided to have a go at Coq au Vin. Seemed like a decent head-to-head.
Round 1: Tackling the English Shepherd’s Pie
So, first on the agenda was the Shepherd’s Pie. I got all the bits and bobs together: some lamb mince, onions, carrots, a handful of peas, potatoes for the topping, a bit of stock, and of course, a splash of Worcester sauce – all the standard stuff.
Then, the actual making of it: I started by browning the mince in a pan. Pretty straightforward, that. Then I tossed in the chopped onions and carrots and let them soften up a bit. Stirred in a bit of flour, then poured in the stock, a dollop of tomato puree, and that vital Worcester sauce. I let that all simmer away, and it started smelling really good, proper homely.
While the filling was doing its thing, I got the potatoes boiling for the mash. Once they were soft, I drained them, chucked in a knob of butter and a splash of milk, and got to mashing. Then it was assembly time. Meat mixture into an oven dish, then piled the fluffy mash on top. I made sure to rough up the surface with a fork – that’s the trick for getting those lovely crispy bits. Then, into the oven it went.
The whole kitchen began to fill with that comforting aroma. I pulled it out when it was all golden brown and bubbling away at the edges. Looked pretty decent, if I do say so myself.
Round 2: Venturing into French Coq au Vin Territory
The next day, feeling refreshed, I faced the French challenge: Coq au Vin. The shopping list for this one felt a bit more extensive, I’ll admit. I got chicken pieces (went for thighs and drumsticks), some bacon lardons, mushrooms, those little pearl onions, garlic, red wine (nearly a whole bottle!), a dash of brandy, chicken stock, and a bouquet garni – had to quickly search what that was, it’s just a little bundle of herbs, really.
The cooking process itself felt a bit more… elaborate, I suppose. I started by browning the chicken pieces, then took them out. Next, the bacon, onions, and mushrooms had their turn in the pot. I even did that thing where you flambé with brandy – felt like a proper chef for a moment, almost lost my eyebrows in the process! Then the chicken went back in, poured the red wine over everything, added the stock, garlic, and that herb bundle. Popped the lid on and let it simmer. Nice and slow, that seemed to be the secret. The smell was totally different from the pie, much richer, definitely a strong wine fragrance.
It took a fair bit of time, longer than the Shepherd’s Pie, that’s for sure. Near the end, I made a ‘beurre manié’ – another one of those fancy French terms, but it’s just flour and butter mashed together – to thicken up the sauce. When I finally dished it up, the sauce was all dark and glossy. Looked quite sophisticated, I thought.
The Verdict: England vs. France in My Kitchen
So, then came the big comparison. I ate them on different nights, of course; didn’t fancy a food coma from tackling both at once.
The Shepherd’s Pie: It was pure comfort food. Hearty, no-nonsense, and tasted like… well, like a proper home-cooked meal. Pretty easy to whip up, all things considered. Not too many complicated steps. The whole prep and cook time was probably around an hour and a half, maybe a bit less.
The Coq au Vin: Definitely had richer, more complex flavours going on. You could really taste the wine. It took more time, involved more steps, and felt more like ‘proper cooking’, if you know what I mean. And let me tell you, there was a lot more washing up afterwards.
So, who was the winner in my little kitchen practice? To be honest, it’s a really tough call.
- For a simple, satisfying meal on a weeknight, the Shepherd’s Pie is hard to beat. Much less fuss.
- But for something a bit more special, like a weekend dinner when you’ve got more time, the Coq au Vin definitely feels more like an occasion.
My little “practice” just showed me they’re good for different things. The English dish gave me that solid, dependable comfort. The French one offered a bit more flair but asked for more of my time and effort. Barry still swears by the pie, and my other mate won’t hear a word against the Coq au Vin. Me? I reckon I’ll just carry on “practicing” making both of them, depending on what I’m in the mood for. No clear champion, just two cracking meals. That’s my practical experience, anyway.
