A typical, warming dish!
Kig ha farz (pronounced "kigafarze") is a hearty dish from northern Finistère (formerly Léon). Made with vegetables and meat, it's similar to pot au feu, but with a distinctly Breton twist. Indeed, kig ha farz is accompanied by black or white " farz " (a kind of thick pancake dough cooked in broth) and a succulent butter and shallot sauce called " lipig ".
The history of this Leonardo dish
Kig ha farz was the only known far until the French Revolution. Far refers to a wide variety of flour-based preparations. Buckwheat first appeared in the 16th century, and quickly established itself in the poor lands of inland Brittany, replacing wheat as a staple food. As buckwheat is not a cereal, new recipes were needed to use this flour. Hence the galette or far, all preparations that avoided the need to use the seigneurial oven, which had to be paid for. It was only after the French Revolution that other preparations began to appear, notably those baked in the oven.
Initially, there was no question of adding vegetables. The recipe then consisted of far and meat, often salted bacon cooked separately. From a simple far cooked in a bag with a piece of bacon, we gradually arrived at a more elaborate and complete recipe, which today consists of black far cooked in a bag, meat and vegetables.
The evolution of the kig ha farz recipe bears witness to a different relationship with food: from the need to feed oneself, to the search for the pleasure of eating well. Today, kig ha farz has (re)become the ideal dish for group meals, associations and schools. On Sundays in winter, it's not uncommon to see a dozen or so meals offered in a month.
So kig ha farz has (re)become a staple of Breton gastronomy, a must-try... but ideally with a hearty appetite!
Text kindly provided by the Musée du Léon.
The secrets of a successful kig ha farz
Fancy getting your hands dirty with black farz? There are many variations on kig ha farz. Each family has its own jealously guarded secret recipe. Even if every village, every house, says that the best kig ha farz is its own, we had to make a choice! Here's the family recipe that Hervé Bécam, former chef at the Michelin-starred La Butte restaurant in Plouider, Côte des Légendes, agreed to share with us.
Preparation
Ingredients (for 8 to 10 people)
Far: 1 kg buckwheat flour, 60 cl cream, 4 eggs, approx. 500 ml milk, 20 g salt.
Pot au feu: vegetables (1 cabbage, approx. 10 carrots, celery, rutabaga, onions), semi-salted pork (knuckle and bacon), beef (tail and cheek).
Preparing the farin
- Mix flour and eggs.
- Add salt and gradually enough milk to make a fairly compact paste.
- Add the cream and mix well. The dough should be smooth, creamy and not too liquid.
- Place in a linen bag soaked in water.
- Close the bag with cooking twine to the level of the stuffing.
- Place the bag in boiling water with the ham hocks.
- Boil for three hours.
Preparing the pot au feu
- Place beef and vegetables (except cabbage) in a pot.
- Cover with water and season with coarse salt (40g).
- Bring to the boil and cook for two hours.
- Add the cabbage and cook for a further three-quarters of an hour.
- Arrange the meat and vegetables on a serving platter.
- Remove the far from the bag, " brujuning " (crumbling) as you go, and place in a shallow dish.
- Serve as is or with lipig.
Meatless
If you don't like meat, there are sometimes two alternatives for enjoying this Breton dish:
- Pesked ha farz: made with fish, this is a lighter version!
- Veg ha farz: keeps the basic recipe, but with more vegetables! Perfect for vegetarians.
our partner restaurateurs
Where to eat kig ha farz?
Have we made your mouth water? Here are the addresses where you can taste it!
Our favorite
Restaurant Breton's kig ha farz
Even if all the restaurateurs on the Côte des Légendes make the best kig ha farz in the world, there's one address we recommend you don't miss. It's the Restaurant Breton in Saint-Frégant. It's a small rural commune, close to Lesneven, with its picturesque village, its granite church, its lovely high view over the surrounding countryside and its hearty kig ha farz every other Thursday.
The atmosphere at Restaurant Breton, a well-known address in the area, is simple and friendly. The locals often turn up. It serves authentic kig ha farz with soup and croutons, vegetables, black farz, white farz and a tasty lipig...with the option of a second plate if you have room.
In addition to the pleasures of the table, you'll also be immersed in local life, with its pronounced accents and local expressions.
The restaurant is often packed on kig ha farz day, which is a good sign. So don't forget to make a reservation on 02 98 83 05 33 (2 or 3 days in advance if possible).
Kig ha farz is still an easily digestible dish. But just in case you feel like stretching your legs, don't hesitate to take a stroll along the " Boucle des Saveurs ".
