Some expressions linger in memory while others vanish in an instant. Memory is selective: we keep what resonates and discard what does not. When my fellow Canadian food blogger Tarzile asked, “Tu le sais toi Béa pourquoi il y a des expressions intraduisibles ?” I smiled. I do not know why certain expressions resist translation, but she was right—some phrases carry cultural color that disappears when translated. This happens between French and English and across other language pairs. Food-related language is no exception.
Driving home from yoga recently, I thought about this again while writing about my current fondness for fennel, le fenouil. One French expression came to mind: “à toutes les sauces.”
When I fall for a vegetable, a style of cooking, or a particular flavor, I tend to use it repeatedly over several weeks. It’s like taming an animal—you have to spend time with it. I experiment with the ingredient in sweet and savory dishes, mixed or plain, trying many approaches. In French we say doing something “à toutes les sauces,” which literally means “with many different sauces.” The expression, originally culinary, has broadened to mean using something in many forms. So when I say I cook fennel “à toutes les sauces,” I mean I use it constantly, in many dishes, almost obsessively. P. might groan, “Encore du fenouil ?” and I would happily answer, “Eh bien oui ! Encore !” We both appreciate fennel, especially when it is paired with another household favorite: potatoes.
It’s fortunate that P. and I both love potatoes. He is Irish and I grew up with homegrown potatoes, so I never need encouragement to cook them. When I imagined this recipe, potatoes came to mind first, then fennel, pears and Fourme d’Ambert. The combination felt right. I sliced the vegetables thinly and precooked them before assembling individual vegetable timbales. The pears add a sweet note to balance the savory blue cheese, while potatoes and fennel remain more neutral. I prefer individual portions for presentation, though the same ingredients can be baked in a single larger dish with adjusted cooking times. The textures and flavors came together beautifully. P. was delighted and learned a new French expression—one I expect he’ll repeat often: à toutes les sauces.
You need:
- 2 lb + 3.5 oz Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1 large fennel bulb
- 1 pear
- 1 large onion
- 3.5 oz Fourme d’Ambert cheese
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup whole milk
- Chives, chopped
- A dash of nutmeg
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
Steps:
- Butter the ramekins and line them with parchment paper.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Peel the potatoes and cook them 12–15 minutes in salted boiling water. Let them cool slightly, then slice thinly.
- Cook the fennel 15 minutes in salted boiling water. Drain and slice thinly.
- Peel, core and slice the pear thinly. Toss with a few drops of lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Slice the onion and cook it gently in olive oil for about 10 minutes until soft.
- In a bowl, beat the eggs with the milk, chives, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Arrange potato slices along the inside edge of each ramekin and cover the bottom, keeping them snug.
- Add a layer of cooked onions followed by a layer of fennel and pear slices.
- Continue with another layer of potatoes, thin slices of Fourme d’Ambert, and more pear and fennel.
- Finish with a final potato layer.
- Pour the egg mixture over the assembled layers, making sure it seeps to the bottom.
- Bake 45–50 minutes, until the top potatoes are cooked and the custard is set. Let rest a few minutes before unmolding. Garnish with chives and serve with roasted meat and a green salad.
Le coin français
Ingrédients :
- 1 kg de pommes de terre
- 1 gros fenouil
- 1 poire
- 1 gros oignon
- 100 g de Fourme d’Ambert
- 2 œufs
- 150 ml de lait entier
- Ciboulette hachée
- Pointe de muscade
- Sel et poivre
- Huile d’olive
Étapes :
- Beurrez les ramequins et tapissez-les de papier sulfurisé.
- Préchauffez le four à 180°C.
- Faites cuire les pommes de terre épluchées 12–15 minutes dans de l’eau bouillante salée. Égouttez et coupez en rondelles fines.
- Faites cuire le fenouil 15 minutes dans de l’eau bouillante salée. Égouttez et coupez en tranches fines.
- Pelez et coupez la poire en fines tranches, en retirant le cœur. Arrosez légèrement de citron pour éviter l’oxydation.
- Émincez l’oignon et faites-le revenir dans l’huile d’olive pendant environ 10 minutes à feu doux.
- Mélangez les œufs, le lait et la ciboulette à la fourchette. Assaisonnez de sel, poivre et muscade.
- Disposez des rondelles de pomme de terre contre les parois des ramequins et au fond.
- Ajoutez une couche d’oignon, puis de fromage, puis des tranches de poire et de fenouil.
- Poursuivez en alternant rondelles de pomme de terre, fromage, poire et fenouil.
- Terminez par une couche de pommes de terre.
- Versez la préparation à base d’œufs en veillant à ce qu’elle atteigne le fond du moule.
- Enfournez 45–50 minutes. Laissez reposer quelques minutes avant de démouler. Décorez de ciboulette et servez avec une viande rôtie et une belle salade verte.