Court Bouillon Recipe
Court Bouillon (pronounced "coor boo-YONE") is a flavorful, aromatic liquid used for poaching fish and shellfish. The simplest court bouillon consists of nothing but salted water, and some traditional recipes call for a mixture of half salted water, half milk.This court bouillon recipe uses a mix of aromatics, spices and acid, which will give the best results when poaching most kinds of fish and shellfish.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 gallon cold water
- 1 handful Kosher salt
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium rib celery, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 8 fresh parsley stems
- 1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
Preparation:
- Combine all the ingredients in a heavy-bottomed stock pot or soup pot. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes.
- Strain and either use immediately or cool. (See note below.)
NOTE: When poaching small fish, sliced fish (i.e. fillets) or shellfish, start with hot court bouillon. Large fish should be started in a cold court bouillon and then slowly brought to a simmer for even cooking. See How to Poach Fish.
