Recipes by Marguerite Lavigne
20 recipes
Broiled Black Mission Figs with Melted Camembert & Meyer Lemon Honey
When the late afternoon sun dips low and you've just poured a chilled, skin-contact Chenin Blanc, you need a snack that takes exactly zero effort. We are halving jammy black mission figs, topping them with earthy Camembert, and broiling until completely melted and blistering. A drizzle of Meyer lemon-spiked honey and a crunch of pistachios finishes the trick—it's a perfect California-meets-Paris apéro bite.
Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Melted Shallots & Santa Rosa Plums
To me, a perfect bistro lunch isn't complicated; it just requires a little patience and a very hot oven. We're starting these bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs in a cold skillet to render all that glorious fat, yielding shatteringly crisp skin. Then we bathe them in a pan jus of melted shallots, juicy California plums, and salty Castelvetrano olives, pulled together with a splash of whatever natural white wine you're drinking.
Pacific Cod en Papillote with Artichokes, Crushed Olives & Meyer Lemon
Cooking en papillote is the ultimate French parlor trick—it sounds intimidating but is actually the easiest, most forgiving way to cook fish. I’ve swapped heavy cream sauces for the bright California sun: zesty Meyer lemon, buttery Castelvetrano olives, and tender artichokes. As the parchment packet bakes, it creates a gorgeous, briny, wine-laced broth that begs for a heel of crusty baguette.
Composed Ventresca Tuna & Haricots Verts Salade with Grapefruit-Shallot Vinaigrette
A sun-drenched reimagining of a Parisian bistro lunch. We're skipping the heavy potatoes of a classic Niçoise and leaning into vibrant California summer crunch. Premium oil-packed tuna belly gets arranged with perfectly blanched snap peas and haricots verts, creamy avocado, and my signature jammy eggs, all tied together with a zippy ruby red grapefruit vinaigrette. It's meant to be composed on a big, beautiful platter and devoured with a chilled glass of skin-contact Pinot Gris.
Chilled Cantaloupe & Lillet Velouté with Lime-Whipped Crème Fraîche
In southern France, it is almost a religion to start a summer meal with chilled melon and Port. But out here in California, I find Port a bit heavy for a 90-degree July afternoon, so I created this sun-drenched alternative. It is a ridiculously refreshing, icy purée of sweet melon and cucumber, brightened with lime and spiked with floral Lillet Blanc.
Moules au Pastis with Melted Fennel & Bright Citrus
There is a very specific kind of magic that happens when you slowly melt fennel and shallots in good butter, then hit the pan with a splash of anise-scented Pastis. In this coastal bistro classic, I skip the heavy cream and finish the golden broth with bright Meyer lemon and fresh tarragon. Grab an absurdly large piece of grilled sourdough—you are going to want to soak up every last drop of this California sunshine.
The "California Complète" Buckwheat Galette
Every time I sit at a Parisian café, I order a galette complète. But because my heart lives in California, we're taking that earthy, nutty buckwheat batter and waking it up with West Coast sunshine. We're going to master the simple art of making and resting a flawless batter, then executing the classic square fold right in the pan around melted Comté, a perfectly jammy egg, blistered shallots, and fresh avocado.
Sun-Drenched Heirloom Tomato & White Nectarine Tart
Listen, I adore a classic French tomato tart, but when June hits California and the heirlooms are so heavy and ripe they feel like water balloons, it’s a crime to bake them into mush. This is my cheat code for the ultimate patio picnic: a perfectly blind-baked buttery crust holding a briny green olive tapenade, topped with thickly sliced, entirely raw heirlooms and sweet nectarines. It tastes exactly like the sun.
Soft-Folded Eggs with Molten Goat Cheese & Shaved Summer Squash
A sunny Parisian morning doesn't have to mean heavy cream and dark bistros. Here in California, I love starting the day with eggs gently coaxed and folded over low heat until perfectly glossy and custard-like. We're folding in fresh, tangy goat cheese at the very last second so it forms little molten pockets, and topping it all with vibrant, citrus-kissed ribbons of summer squash.
Quick-Seared Ahi Tuna Niçoise with Blistered Beans & Avocado
I stopped apologizing for messing with the classic Niçoise years ago. My secret? Swapping sad, boiled green beans for fiercely blistered ones, folding creamy avocado next to perfectly jammy eggs, and giving beautiful Ahi tuna a wildly fast, hot sear. It's a little Parisian bistro, a lot of California sunshine, and exactly what you want to eat for a long, lazy lunch.
Sun-Drenched Chicken Paillard with Shaved Summer Squash & Avocado
A proper bistro lunch should feel like a little vacation in the middle of your day. I adore a paillard—it sounds so beautifully formal, but it's just a fancy French term for taking a mallet to a piece of meat so it sears beautifully in minutes! Here, I crown golden, pan-seared chicken with a tangled, vibrant salad of shaved summer squash, fennel, buttery avocado, and an unabashedly bright Meyer lemon-tarragon vinaigrette.
Summer Corn & Halibut en Papillote with White Nectarine-Basil Relish
En papillote is just a fancy French term for baking in parchment, but to me, it means dinner is a little gift you get to unwrap. We are nesting sweet summer corn, shaved zucchini, and delicate halibut in a little sauna of white wine and butter. When you tear it open at the table, the fragrant steam hits you, ready for a bright, fresh nectarine and basil relish to bring that California sunshine straight to your plate.
Caramelized Shallot, Herb & Crème Fraîche Cake Salé
I’ve never understood why North America reserves cake strictly for dessert. In Paris, a savory 'cake salé' is a beloved staple. Here, I've brought it into the California morning sun by swapping heavy oils for rich, tangy crème fraîche, creating an impossibly tender crumb packed with sweet caramelized shallots, Gruyère, and bright Meyer lemon zest.
Pan-Roasted Bavette with Warm Fingerling & Avocado Salade
In Paris, I lived on steak frites at lunch, washed down with whatever red the patron poured. Here in California, the sun demands something a little brighter, so we're keeping the quick, hard pan-roast of a beautiful bavette but swapping heavy frites for a warm fingerling potato salad. Folded with creamy avocado, crunchy radishes, and a sharp Meyer lemon vinaigrette, it is the bistro lunch of my dreams—no post-meal espresso needed to stay awake!
Mouclade Californienne: Vadouvan Mussels with Blistered Shishitos & Warm Avocado
A classic French mouclade is a curried mussel dish usually drowning in heavy cream, born on the Atlantic coast. We are keeping the intoxicating aroma of vadouvan and the bistro ritual of steaming mussels in a good splash of natural wine, but giving it a West Coast sunbath. Instead of cream, the broth is brightened with fresh lime, and we toss in blistered shishito peppers and chunks of ripe avocado at the very end. The avocado warms gently in the hot broth, creating little pockets of richness that outshine heavy cream any day. It is playful, highly aromatic, and absolutely requires a good loaf of bread.
Provencal Fines Herbes Oeufs Brouillés with Blistered Sungolds
A lazy summer morning in Provence calls for eggs that take their sweet time. These deeply creamy, gently folded oeufs brouillés are laced with fresh chervil and tarragon, then spooned over garlic-rubbed sourdough with sun-warmed blistered tomatoes.
Tarte à la Tomate Californienne
When the sun hits the patio and the heirloom tomatoes from my favorite farmer, Luc, are practically bursting with juice, there is only one thing to make. I take a classic French tomato tart and give it a West Coast kiss: a shatteringly crisp, blind-baked butter crust, a bright Meyer lemon chèvre whip, and ribbons of sweet shallot. Pour a chilled, skin-contact Chenin Blanc, invite some friends over, and let the afternoon slip away.
Halibut en Papillote with Shaved Fennel, Snap Peas & Avocado-Tarragon Butter
Cooking fish en papillote is the oldest bistro trick in the book for a reason—it is foolproof, elegant, and traps every single drop of flavor. Here, we steam tender halibut with shaved fennel and a generous splash of natural white wine, then hit it with a very Californian twist: a melting avocado and tarragon compound butter. When you tear open the paper at the table, the fragrant steam rushes out, and that bright green butter melts into the white wine juices to create an instant, luxurious sauce.
Crispy Duck Confit & Slow-Roasted Apricot Salade
A Parisian bistro lunch basking in the California sun. We slowly render rich duck confit until shatteringly crisp, then use a spoonful of that golden fat to slow-roast fresh summer apricots until they're jammy and caramelized. Tossed with bitter greens, crisp shallots, and a bright Champagne vinaigrette, it's a rich, bright, and unapologetic midday feast.
Chilled Golden Squash Velouté with Avocado Crema & Jammy Eggs
I adore a classic French velouté, but when the California sun is beating down, the last thing I want is a heavy, hot bowl of cream. Enter this chilled summer squash soup—silky, vibrant, and incredibly refreshing. We swap the dairy for a bright Meyer lemon and tarragon avocado crema, finishing it all with crispy shallots and a perfectly jammy egg. It’s my ultimate neighborhood bistro lunch, served right in your backyard.