prison, Bastille.

The angry mobs' actions became the catalyst for the historic French Revolution and the beginning of the Republic of France.

In honour of Bastille Day, here are some delicious French recipes: CREVETTES A' LA PROVENCALE Shrimp in a Garlic-Tomato Sauce 4 tablespoons olive oil, extra-virgin if available 2 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced or 4 pounds canned tomatoes, drained and diced 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 6 sprigs parsley, chopped 1 1 pounds shrimp, shelled and deveined MAKE the sauce provencale: In a skillet heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over high heat until it is smoking. Add the tomatoes. (Be careful; the hot oil may spatter.) Toss or stir quickly. Add the garlic and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes.

Season with the salt and pepper, remove from the heat and stir in three-fourths of the chopped parsley. Pour the sauce into a bowl and set aside. (The sauce can be made 1 day in advance. Cover and refrigerate.) In a skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and saute until they change colour and begin to curl, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the sauce provencale to the cooked shrimp and bring to a boil. Transfer the shrimp and sauce to a hot serving platter and sprinkle with the remaining chopped parsley.

*** FILET DE BOEF ROTI Roasted Fillet of Beef 1 beef fillet (7 to 8 pounds untrimmed, 4 to 5 pounds well trimmed), tied every 2 inches for roasting (ask the butcher to do this) 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter 1 carrot, cut into 1 -inch slices 1 onion, halved and cut into 1 -inch slices 2 cups beef stock, homemade or canned 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper PREHEAT the oven to 475 degrees. Lightly coat the meat and a roasting pan with the oil. Place the sliced vegetables in the pan and heat in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables start to saute.

Add the fillet to the pan and roast for a total of 25 to 30 minutes for medium-rare. Turn the roast every 6 to 7 minutes to brown it evenly. The roast should be springy to the touch when done.

Transfer the roast to a carving board, and deglaze the pan and vegetables by adding the stock and stirring to loosen the caramelised bits on the bottom and sides of the pan. Boil to reduce by half and strain; discard the vegetables.

Season the roast with salt and pepper.

To serve: Cut the fillet into slices about 1 inch thick and serve with a little of the pan juices, or your favourite sauce.

*** CARRE D'AGNEAU VERT PRE Rack of Lamb with Watercress 2 racks of lamb (8 chops each), completely trimmed 1 teaspoon thyme 1 teaspoon rosemary 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 bunch watercress, stems removed PREHEAT the oven to 475 degrees. Season both sides of the racks with the herbs, salt, and pepper, and place in a roasting pan bone side down. (If seasoning in advance, do not salt until just before roasting.) Place in the oven and lower the temperature to 400 degrees. Depending on their size, the racks will take 20 to 30 minutes to cook to medium-rare. When done, they will be springy to the touch.

To serve: Transfer the lamb to a serving platter or carving board and surround with watercress. Slice into individual chops by cutting between the bones, and serve 2 to 3 chops per person.

*** CHAMPIGNONS A' L'AIL Mushrooms and Garlic 3 tablespoons unsalted butter or light olive oil 1 1 pounds mushrooms, washed, dried, and quartered 4 to 5 garlic cloves, chopped, to taste 6 sprigs parsley, chopped 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper IN a large skillet, heat the butter over high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add only the number of mushrooms that will cover the bottom of the pan in one layer. Saute' until browned, about 4 minutes.

Add the garlic and parsley and toss or stir quickly. Season with the salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and arrange on a serving platter or in a vegetable dish. Serve hot.

*** RIZ SAUVAGE FORESTIERE Wild Rice with Mushrooms 8 ounces wild rice, rinsed in cold water 4 tablespoons butter 1 small onion or 3 shallots, chopped 3 pound cultivated or wild mushrooms, washed, dried, and chopped 4 chicken livers, chopped (optional*) 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 10 sprigs parsley, chopped PLACE the wild rice in a saucepan with 5 quarts of water. Bring to a boil and cook until the rice grains open and are tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Drain and rinse the rice under cold water. Set aside.

In a 12-inch skillet, heat the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, turn the heat to high, and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the livers and cook quickly, about 30 seconds and add the mixture to the rice.

Stir in the parsley; taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Reheat the rice mixture, covered, in a water bath (bain-marie) or in a 200 degree oven until hot, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve.

* The liver can be left out, but if you like liver and you are serving squabs, ducks, or game birds, use their livers in the recipe. If you are serving this dish with game birds also add 1 teaspoon thyme to the mushrooms while they are cooking.