Let's not get too excited by the fact that this is French Week. Every time we make a vinaigrette or add a bouquet garni to our food we acknowledge a debt to French cuisine. Our cookbooks refer to essentially French equipment — the bain marie, the whisk, the chinois (conical strainer), the crêpe pan; and, of course, to French technique — to julienne, to blanch, to confit.

This is observation rather than prejudice on my part, as my branch of the Dupleix family left France five generations ago — hence the anglicised pronunciation of Du-play, for those who have asked, instead of the French Du-plex.

Today’s recipe comes from Jacques and Laurent Pourcel of the Languedoc-Roussillon region. The twin brothers are in London demonstrating the refined techniques and Mediterranean flavours of their three-starred Montpelier restaurant at Vive La France, a celebration of French lifestyle, travel and property (including an irresistible food market) at Olympia next weekend. For tickets call 0870-902 0444 or visit www.vivelafrance.co.uk .

If you think it is a remarkably simple recipe for a couple of three-star French chefs, that’s my fault. The full recipe involves layering the mushrooms and the bulgur separately in a 3cm square millefeuille of crisped sugar-coated pastry. It didn’t work all that well for me when I tested it, but the mushroom bulgur itself is very nice and very simple.

Ingredients

Serves 4 as a starter or side dish
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 20 min

Wildly adapted from the Pourcel Brothers’ recipe.

200g fine bulgur (cracked wheat)
750ml boiling water
250g fresh cep or shitake mushrooms
1tbsp butter
1tbsp olive oil
40g grated parmesan
2tbsp chopped chives
Sea salt and pepper
2tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2tbsp lemon juice

To finish

1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2tbsp balsamic vinegar
1tbsp chopped chives
1tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, finely sliced

METHOD

In a pot, cover the bulgur with 750ml water and bring to the boil. Add salt, and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Drain off any excess water and set aside. Wipe the mushrooms clean, trim and finely chop. Heat the butter and olive oil in a frying pan and cook the mushrooms until soft. Add the bulgur and toss well, to warm it through.

Remove from the heat and add the parmesan, chives, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Turn out on to a warmed serving platter, scatter with chives and sun-dried tomatoes and drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar around the bulgur. Serve as a starter, a side dish or a vegetarian main course for two.

jill.dupleix@thetimes.co.uk

Very Simple Food by Jill Dupleix is published by Quadrille at £20. Order from Times Books First for £16, plus £1.95 p&p. 0870-160 8080

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