Yummmmm....could not help but chime in......
Veal Banquette is also a rich heart warming dish...either Coq au vin or Beef Bourguignon are classics too.
I'm a cheese head and would opt for a cheese course.
Chocolate Moose (sp?)
The menus seem very rich.....guess that's old school cooking/eating.....
Some of the French dinners I've been to this past year were in the summer and much lighter......
Pinochine olives
crudite with bagna cruda (sp?)
cheesey gougere
Vegetable Soup, Robochon's I believe.....veg stock, large dice veg....
Chanterelle Terrine with loads of eggs cooked to sci fi raw/doneness...Robochon's again
Another meal had a wild shroom tart
Green Salad, vinagrette....so nice.....I learned to put the dressing at the bottom of the bowl with lettuces on top and mix at appropriate time.
Apricot and Walnut Breads (Robochon) to go with specific cheeses
Strawberry Cream Cake
These were prepared by a friend and his Parisian girlfriend, they transverse the atlantic living in both STL and Paris.....they met at a train station going on a wild mushroom foray.
If I were making a country French dinner tonight it'd look something like this....
Olives
Radishes, butter & salt
possibly gougere....
Daniel's soup is so simple and delicious, saute onion in pot, add cubed veg and pour water up to the veg line. Cover and boil (not hard boil but cooking) for approx 20-30 minutes until veg is tender.....puree and run through a fine mesh strainer (makes a difference in mouth feel and if you are making a nice dinner worth the effort).
Butternut Soup ala Daniel Boulud.....simple.....top with whatever suits your fancy..I serve with gouda biscuits and if handy sauted chanterelles, today I don't have any in the freezer nor are they looking good at the wholesaler so I'd top with toasted pumpkin seeds or a brittle. A buddy of mine makes his with duck cracklins and sauted duck breast....dang I love his soup!
Or Beet Soup Puree (again water base) with Sherry vinegar syrup and chevre
chicken liver with Grand Marnier and currants
Skate wings buerre blanc
green veg, soubise
Leafy salad no goo just good vinaigrette
Cheese Course, pull in some honey comb, nuts, pears
Chocolate Mousse or Caramel with fluer sel or both.......