You've no doubt heard about mirepoix through your culinary adventures or food TV watching. (Confession: I actually always thought it was pronounced meer-a-qua.) It's a common blend of aromatics often added to stews or soups in the same way salt and pepper are added to give a familiar blend of palatable tastes. But did you know there are other types of mirepoix? A Thai version or a Chinese version, for instance? I'll show you some other mirepoix styles from around the world so that you can give your next soup or stew some regional distinction.
The classic French style of mirepoix, often called the holy trinity, is a 2:1:1 ratio of diced onions, celery and carrots. It's often used in soups, stews, creoles or gumbos to create a solid foundation of flavors and aromas. Another common take is the Italian style of mirepoix, called soffritto. This is often made with the same three ingredients as mirepoix, except sautéed in olive oil instead of butter. Garlic and parsley are often added to the mix as well in this Italian version.
But what if you're into making a Chinese style meal tonight? Then, you might want to try a 2:1:1 ratio of green onions, ginger, and garlic to add essential flavors and aromas from that region.
For Thai food, try a 2:1:1 ratio of basil, ginger, and lemongrass — finishing with fresh kaffir lime juice to taste.
You'll also find a similar blend of ingredients used in Indian curries as well. A common mix of onions, garlic and hot chiles in that familiar ratio can get you started. Adding in a bit of ginger can give it some added character.
You've probably been doing mirepoix in your cooking without even knowing it, but now you can declare your knowledge and use these bases to customize recipes to the flavor profile you're looking for that night.
Related: Word of Mouth: Mirepoix
(Image: Chris Perez)
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I'm going to have to correct you. A Holy Trinity is traditionally Bell Peppers, Celery, and Onions (1:1:1). Holy Trinity has its roots in Creole cooking, which is derived from French cuisine.
A Traditional French Mirepoix is Onion, Celery and Carrots in the ratios you've proscribed. It is typically just referred to as "Mirepoix".
Do you guys think it is strictly necessary to use the 2:1:1 ratio? 2 parts onion for 1 part garlic seems like an overwhelming amount of garlic. Or possibly a small amount of onion.
I'm not sure which one you're seeing that has both onions and garlic? Mirepoix has onions but no garlic, while the Chinese one has garlic and green onions. Assuming you're referring to the Chinese - all three ingredients are highly aromatic and would be in small amounts generally?
For the Thai one, is the ratio by weight, volume...? That could come out to a whole lot of basil.
For Chinese cooking, particularly Sichuan, the garlic/ginger/green onion bottoms is added *after* the meat is cooked, leaving a sharper, fresher taste.
These proportions are rough amounts, usually just eyeballed rather than precisely measured.
Yes, the holy trinity is as @physical described it, not mirepoix.
Also, don't forget about Spanish sofrito (garlic, onion and tomato) and all the variations thereof.
I'm an Italian living in Italy, and I can assure you that the Italian aromatic base only uses EITHER onions OR garlic. In the north of Italy there is the celery stalk, carrot and onion mix (one of each) usually started with butter - but today's smart Italians add one tablespoon of olive oil. In the center and center-south of Italy we use a garlic clove, pinch of hot pepper and usually a couple of anchovies (especially in Rome). There may be exceptions to these rules of course - but the base of most of our recipes only uses ONE aromatic, not BOTH.
I do appreciate the thought that went into this article since I really enjoy learning about the building blocks each culture uses in their cuisine. So I hope to see more in the future.
Ciao,
L