Court Bouillon Recipe
Court bouillon is a classic way of gently cooking seafood in a well-seasoned broth, greatly enhancing the overall flavor.
Ingredients
- 6 cups water
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 to 4 fresh parsley leaves and stems
- juice of 1 lemon, plus the sliced halves
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 thinly sliced carrot
- 1 thinly sliced rib of celery
- ½ roughly chopped yellow onion
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a medium to large-sized pot.
- Cook it over low to medium heat or until it is simmering and the butter is completely melted.
- Whether you cook lobsters, mussels, or clams, add it to the court bouillon and gently simmer it until it is cooked.
- Using a perforated spoon or spider strainer, remove the seafood, slightly cool it, and serve it.
Notes
I find that the secret to a delicious court bouillon is tasting it before adding anything to it. Whenever you have poaching stocks like this, they should be almost overly seasoned because you aren’t eating them. You are eating what was cooked in it. Because of that, the liquid is what seasons it. I can’t say it enough; Taste your food.
Wine is optional: If you do not drink wine, I recommend skipping it as there is no good substitute.
The pot is essential: I always make sure to choose a more bottomless pot so whatever it is I’m cooking, like lobster or shellfish, is wholly submerged throughout the entire cooking process.
Make-Ahead: This can be made up to two days ahead for freshness. You can either add everything into a container and store it or heat it before cooling and storing it.
How to Store: Cover it and store it in the refrigerator. Since some seafood will already be poached, the court bouillon will only last up to 2 days in the fridge. I recommend not freezing this.
How to Reheat: I add the desired amount of court bouillon to a medium-sized sauce pot and heat it over low to medium heat until it simmers.
Nutrition
Calories: 46kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 0.2gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.03gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 0.2mgSodium: 17mgPotassium: 77mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1094IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 0.3mg