bonne femmen.
/ˌbɒn ˈfam/, /ˌbɒn ˈfɛm/, U.S. /ˌbɑn ˈfɛm/ Cookery.
As postmodifier, and in à la bonne femme. Designating a dish (in early use sweet, later more usually savoury, such as fish or soup) cooked in a traditional manner or with simple ingredients such as fresh vegetables or herbs.
ΚΠ
1733 V. La Chapelle Mod. Cook II. i. 8 A Bon Chrétien Pear-Pye (call'd à la Bonne Femme).
1793 tr. Menon French Family Cook 297 Compote of Plumbs à la Bonne Femme.
1846 A. Soyer Gastron. Regenerator 128 Dublin Bay Haddock à la bonne Femme.
1869 M. Jewry Warne's Model Cookery (new ed.) 35/2 Eggs a la Bonne Femme.
1909 Table Talk Apr. 146/1 Soup à la Bonne Femme.
1930 R. Lehmann Note in Music v. 205 He..ordered sole bonne femme, a mixed grill, salad, trifle, a welsh rarebit.
1989 A. Aird 1990 Good Pub Guide 83 Specials such as chicken bonne femme.
2006 Times 20 May (Food section) 4/2 Black bream with basil and peas bonne femme.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2018; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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