L’Auberge Chez François Herbed Cottage Cheese Spread
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This blend of cottage cheese, sour cream, garlic and fresh herbs makes an irresistible spread.
(Photo by Alexandra Grablewski, Chronicle Books 2018)
My first job out of culinary school was as an apprentice at the acclaimed L’Auberge Chez François, a romantic French restaurant right outside of Washington, DC. If you’re from the area, you’ve likely spent a special occasion there. If not, just imagine an Old World style cottage in the rolling hills of Virginia, dining rooms appointed with cozy fireplaces and traditional Alsatian decor, an old-school French menu featuring the likes of escargots, foie gras, and Chateaubriand, and a whole lotta charm. It’s a very special place.
However, I found out pretty quickly that working there wasn’t quite as romantic as dining there. The restaurant has a large, European-style brigade kitchen with the chef at the helm and all the cooks “manning” their stations. Not only was I the only woman, at five feet two inches tall, I was also hopelessly undersized for the massive equipment that surrounded us. I had to get lifts on my shoes just to reach the plates over the stove—and don’t even ask about those fifty-pound sacks of potatoes! If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to cook in a restaurant kitchen, just imagine trying to juggle multiple orders in your head, cooking on four different burners with food in the oven at the same time, flames, sharp knives, hot pans, and the incessant stream of orders coming in and going out. It was terrifying!
I did eventually get the hang of it, and though I never once forgot what a privilege it was to work there, I have to admit that I’m much happier to be a guest at Chez François now. One of the nicest parts about dining there is all the unexpected treats that show up at your table throughout the meal, like decadent chocolate truffles after dessert, sorbets garnished with candied violets in-between courses, or my personal favorite, the Herbed Cottage Cheese Spread that comes with a basket of toasted garlic bread while you peruse the menu. It’s a blend of cottage cheese, sour cream, garlic, scallions, and fresh herbs that’s irresistible—the perfect beginning to an always perfect meal.
“This was beyond delicious. I served it for a girls cocktail night and then couldn’t stop eating the leftovers the next day…Three friends asked for the link to the recipe that evening!”
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L'Auberge Chez François Herbed Cottage Cheese Spread
This blend of cottage cheese, sour cream, garlic and fresh herbs makes an irresistible spread.
Ingredients
- 1 pound 4% small-curd, cream-style cottage cheese
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon finely minced shallots
- 1 tablespoon finely minced green onions or chives
- 1 tablespoon finely minced parsley, plus more for garnish
- Garlic bread or crackers, for serving
Instructions
- Combine the cottage cheese and sour cream in a medium bowl and blend well. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly and adjust seasonings. Cover and chill well before serving. Serve with toasted garlic bread or crackers and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: About 1/3 cup
- Calories: 95
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Sugar: 2g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 7g
- Sodium: 368mg
- Cholesterol: 20mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I’ve made this many times for parties and gatherings and it is always well recieved by those willing to try it (some people knock it without trying it because it’s cottage cheese based). Oddly enough, my toddler really loves it! He dips his crackers and veggies in it.
I love this at Jacque’s Brasserie, tried your recipe and it just doesn’t taste the same, should it be blended more like in a mixer?
Hi Elizabeth, This is the recipe from the Chez François cookbook. I haven’t been there in ages…I wonder if they’ve changed it over the years? Did you use small curd, cream-style cottage cheese?
Have you ever tried blending the cottage cheese in a blender? What do you think about it?
Hi Sharon, I haven’t tried it and, while technically it would work, I think it may give the spread a weird texture.
We have been to L’Auberge many times over the years and we always looked forward to this treat. I tried this recipe for the first time last night and it was perfect and our guests loved it. I also made your garlic bread recipe and put it on a French baguette and used the garlic bread as the vehicle to eat this on. Thanks again Jenn!
Hi Jenn — how far ahead of time do you think this can be made?
Hi Ricky, I think you could get away with making it a day or two ahead. Hope you enjoy!
I would give this 10 stars! Outstanding! I served with crackers, sliced cucumber and sliced radish … it was devoured in 15 minutes and everyone asked for the recipe. Thank you Jenn for another winner. You have become my go-to cooking companion – I can rely on your recipes without reservation. Every single one is a winner! People are beginning to tell me I should quit my job and open a catering business!!! Thank you Jenn!
💗
This recipe is fantastic!! We made it for a fun pre-Thanksgiving cocktail party and it was gone very quickly. The adults and kids all loved it. Easy to put together ahead of time. Nice and light, but lots of flavor. Highly recommend!!
Outstanding!
We had this as an appetizer while grilling steaks last night. Then we spontaneously spooned what was left on the baked potatoes. We will never go back to plain sour cream for potatoes again.
I want to take this on a boat so the bread would not be very warm by the time we serve it. Is there anything else you think it would taste good on?
I think it would also be delicious on your favorite crackers. Enjoy!
Served this spread with your suggested herbed garlic bread and it was absolutely fabulous. Paired nicely with glass of cabernet sauvignon.
Oh my; love to hear your story of working at L’Auberge Chez Francois! We lived in Great Falls most of the ’80’s and dined there as often as we could. Loved the ambience and the food was such a treat! I’m definitely going to be making this recipe this week! Thanks for the great memories!!!