In October, to mark the grape harvest season, our recipe of the month is 'Grape-Picker's Stew' - wholesome enough to keep the grape-pickers' energy levels up through the harvest! 

Ingredients

  • 8 slices of streaky smoked bacon
  • 8 large sausages (we recommend Toulouse, beef or venison)
  • 4 onions cut up into large chunks
  • 200g of dry green lentils (Puy)
  • 2-4 garlic cloves
  • 300 ml of beef stock
  • 150 ml of red wine
  • Fresh thyme

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large casserole dish and fry the bacon until it's crispy over a medium heat.
  • Remove the bacon, then add the sausages, browning them all over. 
  • Then remove the sausages and add the onion chunks. Turn up the heat so that the onions soften and caramelize.
  • Add the sausages back to the dish, adding the thyme, garlic and lentils. Then cook for about a minute, while continuously stirring.
  • Add the stock and the wine. Decrease the heat so that it's simmering slowly and cover the dish partially with the lid.
  • Let it simmer for about 35 minutes, so that the lentils are soft and the sausages are cooked all the way through.
  • Season it with salt and pepper, and add in the crispy bacon before serving with some fresh thyme.
  • Put the pot in the middle of the table so that people may help themselves. This is nice served with salad, crispy baguette and cheese.

 

France Just For You

Experts in self-drive tours in France

Travelers Reviews

5.0
Annie & Rob from Australia
We had the most amazing holiday visiting all the wine regions in France fully arranged by France Just For You. Those ladies thought of everything….from parking & fuel station options to fabulous restaurants & patisseries, scenic walks & some of the prettiest villages, chateaus & gardens you’ll ever see. They also shared such a lot of history & fun …
Liz & Bruce
We definitely experienced a new way of traveling : out-of-the-way places, local markets and quaint little restaurants. We met a lot of French people and other travelers and always had a great time ! We had already gone to France twice in the past, but thanks to Emily and Guilaume we rediscovered this fabulous country in a whole new way. We are …
David
Emilie was a joy to work with - we were completely pleased with our experience! Do not hesitate to use her services - she will do everything to make your trip perfect. We don't care for group/bus "one-size-fits-all" type of tours - but I didn't feel confident enough with my grasp of French to go it alone. France Just For You is the perfect solution …
Clare & Greg
We just got back from a 2-week fairytale trip to the Southwest of France, perfectly planned for us by Emilie and Guillaume. We spent 3 days in Carcassonne, 4 days in the Dordogne, and 4 days in the Medoc. Each B&B was charming and the hosts were wonderfully welcoming. The special activities that were planned (truffle-hunting, wine-tasting and …
Phil & Pat
Just a quick word of admiration and thanks for well planned and executed vacation for us. Every hotel, Chateau, B&B was clever, different and fun. Guides were outstanding and your recommendations without a flaw. I know we would enjoyed this vacation more because of your efforts Our time in France ends tomorrow and we have memories to carry us to …
Tony & Carolyn
We had the most wonderful two week trip planned by France-Just For You and it delivered more than we expected The quality of the travel package was amazing and every detail was designed to be most helpful for us. We had never stayed in B&Bs before but this trip has opened up more exciting travel options for us than we could have imagined. I would …