How To Make & Use Court bouillon
The court- bouillon is a liquid used for short cooking, by poaching , of certain fish and crustaceans composed of salt water and pepper moistened with white wine or vinegar, carrots and sliced onions, and a bouquet garni.
Court bouillon loosely translates as ‘briefly boiled liquid’ (In French “court”) or “short broth” because the cooking time is brief in comparison with a rich and complex stock, and generally is not served as part of the finished dish. Because delicate foods such as fish do not cook for very long, it is prepared before the foods are added.
The court bouillon is really versatile and can be used to poach many white fish such as cod, lemon soles, flounders, hake ,pike but also pink flesh fish like and salmon trouts.
Useful cookware for this recipe
Kitchen Shears (to clean the fish)
Ingredients needed per liter of court bouillon:
- 125 grams of carrot ( sliced)
- 125 grams of oignons ( sliced)
- 1 bouquet garni
- 1 liter of water
- 100 ml of white wine ( or 50 ml of white vinegar)
- 12 grams of rock salt
- half a teaspoon of juniper berries
- 1 teaspoon of peppercorn
Instructions:
- start by washing peeling an cutting the carrots and onions in thin slices.
- next in a sauce pan add the water, the white wine ( or vinegar), the salt, the bouquet garni followed by the sliced carrot and onions.
- bring the water to the a gentle boil
- when the water reach the boil reduce the heat to a simmer and leave to cook gently for 15 minutes (making sure you scoop out the scum forming at the top to keep you bouillon clean at all time.
- After 15 minutes turn the heat off and transfer your bouillon in a separate clean container.
- leave to cool down totally before use.
Using the court bouillon to poach a fish:
- place you whole or pieces of fish in the pan and cover with enough cold court bouillon to barely cover the top of the fish you are poaching.
- cover with with a piece of baking or parchment paper and leave to cook 8 to 10 minutes.
- when cooked reserve with on a plate cover with a clean white cotton napkin ( which will absorb the excess water)
- remove the skins ( if any)to expose the flesh, decorate to your liking and serve with a sauce of your choice ( Beurre Blanc or Hollandaise ).
Sides typically served with poach fish include:
- boiled potatoes ( coated with finely chopped parsley and butter)
- green beans
- steam courgettes, broccoli or cauliflower
Bon Appetit