„There is no Easter bunny in France“

France is known for good food and the art of enjoyment. That's why people also eat extensively with their families at Easter. In this interview, Simon Neuville from DACHSER France tells us about the dish he serves on the holidays.

 

Mr. Neuville, good food is usually a big deal at Easter. What do you serve at Easter in France?

Simon Neuville: „Easter in France are important holidays for all Christians. We celebrate it every year with a leg of lamb in accordance with the Easter lamb.“  

Why exactly is this your favorite dish at Easter?

Simon Neuville: „Leg of the lamb is a very traditional Easter dish. It tastes very good to me and the whole family and we eat it only at Easter. That makes it special.“  

What makes it typical for your region?

Simon Neuville: „In addition to the traditional background, these are domestic products from the region we live.“

When did you first eat your favorite Easter dish?

Simon Neuville: „The first time I ate leg of the lamb was on Easter at my grandmother's house when I was a child. Since then I eat it every year with my family on Easter.“

Which ingredients are transported and / or stored by your company within the EFN?  

Simon Neuville: „Among other things, the lamb is transported through our network.“

How do you celebrate Easter? What are the special traditions in your country?

Simon Neuville: „We have a big family dinner and in the morning we look for chocolate eggs in the garden with the children. Instead of the rabbit, the fish is the symbol of Easter in France. For children, the Easter fish is great fun and resembles an April Fool's joke: they try to stick a paper fish on the adults' backs unnoticed.“

Do you have an amusing Easter experience to share with us?

Simon Neuville: „When we hide Easter eggs, we often find chocolate eggs left over from the previous year." 

Simon Neuville's favorite recipe to recreate for your Easter:

Gigot d'agneau à la girondine (Leg of the lamb with shallots and garlic)
(For 6 portions)

Preparation time:
25 min

Marinating time:
4 h

Preparation/cooking time:
2 h 5 min

Total time:
6 h 30 min

Difficulty:
easy

Ingredients:
1.8 kg leg of lamb; with bone
4 shallots
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 handful parsley, flat
100 ml olive oil
salt
pepper, black; from the mill
150 ml red wine; e.g. from the Gironde region (Médoc, Bordeaux)
200 ml chicken broth

Preparation:
Wash the leg of lamb, afterwards dry it. Peel and roughly chop the shallots and garlic. Rinse the parsley, shake dry and pluck off the leaves. Chop with the shallots and garlic in a chopper, adding the oil. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and coat the leg of lamb all over with it. Place in a bowl, cover with foil and leave to marinate in a cool place for about 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 230°C top and bottom heat. Place the leg of lamb in a roasting pan and cook in the oven for about 20 minutes, turning once. Reduce the temperature to 200°C, pour in the red wine and stock and cook the leg of lamb for 1.5-2 hours, turning occasionally. Periodically baste with the liquid from the roasting pan. Remove, let rest briefly and serve the leg of lamb sliced. With it we recommend baked potatoes with rosemary.

The partners of the European Food Network offer a large range of services. Among other things, through temperature-controlled food logistics, groupage and part loads and value-added services, they ensure that the ingredients for your Easter dish are delivered safely and in time.

Information about the logistics services within the network can be found here ›