Court-bouillon

Court-bouillon (French for “short broth”) is an aromatic liquid intended not to be served as a soup but for gently poaching (cooking over low heat) fish, seafood, and sometimes vegetables or poultry. Its name indicates that it is made quickly, unlike long meat broths.

The base of court-bouillon is water acidulated with white wine or vinegar, to which aromatic “greens” are added: onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, peppercorns, parsley stems. All of this is simmered to release the aromas. In the finished, flavoured broth the fish is gently poached: the acid helps it keep its firmness and whiteness, while the aromatics delicately saturate it with flavour without overpowering it. Court-bouillon is a classic technique of French cuisine that allows delicate products to be cooked with the utmost care, preserving their natural tenderness.