Court Bouillon

What is a ?court bouillon??

The literal French translation is a short broth. Well, that?s basically what it is. It is a cooking technique that is slowly being forgotten in today?s world where the molecular chef gets all the attention with the newest gadgets and progressive methods. A court bouillon is a simple cooking liquid seasoned with aromatics and used to poach fish, seafood, or vegetables.

The recipe for a basic court bouillon is as follows:

1 tbsp butter
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large celery rib, chopped
3 cups water
1 cup water
1/2 lemon
1 tbsp blk peppercorns
1 tbsp salt
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic

Sweat the vegetables in the butter over medium heat in a medium sauce pot for approximately 5 minutes, making sure they do not brown. Add all the other ingredients and bring to a boil. Drop to a simmer and cook for a few minutes. At this point, you are ready to poach whatever is on your menu. You can also strain it and use as a broth base.
This of course is the recipe for a basic court bouillon. You can add any aromatic flavor that you wish depending on what the desired outcome is. For example if you wish to give your court bouillon an Asian accent, add lemongrass, star anise, coriander, or vanilla beans.