Word of Mouth: Court Bouillon

Emma Christensen
Emma Christensen
Emma is a former editor for The Kitchn and a graduate of the Cambridge School for Culinary Arts. She is the author of True Brews and Brew Better Beer. Check out her website for more cooking stories
updated Jun 4, 2019
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Court Bouillon (Court Boo-yee-an), noun: A flavored liquid used for poaching or steaming.

Unlike regular chicken, beef, or even vegetable stock, a court bouillon can be quickly made and then used immediately – it literally means “quick stock”!

Because it’s cooked for a half an hour at most, a court bouillon never reaches the same level of flavor or complexity as a full-term stock. This sounds like a negative, but a court bouillon is actually useful for cooking mild-flavored things like fish or vegetables. In these cases, a full stock would tend to overshadow the natural flavors of the food, but a court bouillon gives just right balance of flavor and delicacy.

Traditionally, court bouillons are a simple combination of water, bouquet garni, and an acid – no bones or other animal parts. This acid can be white wine, vinegar, or even lemon. A mirepoix of carrots, celery, and onions or leeks can also be added for extra flavor. Everything is simmered for about a half an hour before the liquid is used for cooking.

In general, a court bouillon is not meant to be eaten itself or reused many times.

Here are a few recipes from around the web!

Vinegar Court Bouillon from Epicurious
Wine and Lemon Court Bouillon from the Food Network
Wine and Vinegar Court Bouillon from RecipeSource

(Image: Flickr member podchef licensed under Creative Commons)