Stocks & broths
Court Bouillon
Bouillon de cuisson · A light, aromatic simmering liquid used primarily for poaching fish, shellfish, and delicate vegetables. Unlike a full stock, court bouillon is strained after extraction and used once — discarded, reduced further, or served as a finished broth. The acid (wine or vinegar) denatures surface proteins, firms the exterior, and imparts a subtle tang; the aromatics perfume the liquid, which in turn perfumes the protein. It is the foundational poaching medium in classical French cuisine and the backbone of any serious poissonier station.
The formula
3 parts water : 1 part acid (dry white wine and/or white wine vinegar)
Scale by the weight of the protein: roughly 1 kg fish requires 1.5–2 L court bouillon to submerge. The 3:1 water-to-acid ratio is the master ratio. Acid should comprise 20–25% of total liquid volume. Maintain a bare simmer throughout cooking — never boil.
Identity
- Acidulated liquid (wine or vinegar at 20–25% of total volume)
- Mirepoix-based aromatics — onion, carrot, celery
- Bouquet garni (bay leaf, thyme, parsley stems)
- Black peppercorns — whole or lightly cracked
- Bare simmer, strained before use
Ingredients
| Liquid | Water | Neutral base. Use cold filtered water for purity of flavor. |
| Acid | Dry white wine and/or white wine vinegar | The defining component. Vinegar alone gives a sharper, more assertively 'court' character; wine alone is milder. Classical French tradition often blends both. Do not substitute with lemon juice — the buffering salts and organic acids in wine and vinegar behave differently on proteins. |
| Aromatics | Onion (or shallot), carrot, celery (mirepoix) | Roughly chopped to expose surface area for extraction. Use 1 medium onion, ½ medium carrot, 1 celery stalk per liter. |
| Aromatics | Bouquet garni (bay leaf, fresh thyme, parsley stems) | Essential backbone of French aromatics. Fresh thyme is strongly preferred over dried; the volatile oil profile differs significantly. |
| Seasoning | Black peppercorns (whole or lightly cracked) | Added whole for gentle infusion throughout cooking, or cracked and added in the last 5 minutes for more immediate warmth. |
| Seasoning | Fine sea salt | Season the liquid moderately — it should taste noticeably salted but balanced. The fish will absorb seasoning from the liquid during poaching. |
Method
- 1Prepare the mirepoix and bouquet garni. Roughly chop the onion, carrot, and celery. Tie the bay, thyme, and parsley stems in cheesecloth (or use a muslin sachet).Rough chopping maximizes surface area for flavor extraction without dissolving the vegetables into the liquid.
- 2Combine water, wine and/or vinegar, mirepoix, bouquet garni sachet, and peppercorns in a wide, heavy pot (not aluminum). Bring to a full boil over high heat.Boiling extracts water-soluble compounds from the vegetables rapidly and activates volatile aromatics. A wide pot ensures even heat distribution and adequate surface area for the volume.
- 3Reduce heat to a bare simmer (85–90 °C / 185–195 °F). Skim any foam from the surface. Cover partially and infuse for 15–20 minutes without stirring.Bare simmer extracts flavors gently without clouding the liquid or driving off volatile aromatics. Stirring would agitate suspended particles and make the liquid opaque.
- 4Strain through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth-lined colander. Season to taste — the liquid should be noticeably salted but balanced.The strained liquid is the court bouillon. Any vegetable matter left in will continue to break down and cloud the liquid during poaching. Seasoning now, before the protein goes in, ensures proper penetration.
- 5Bring strained court bouillon back to 85–90 °C / 185–195 °F. Submerge the fish gently. Maintain this temperature range for the duration of poaching.Firm but gentle temperature denatures surface proteins evenly, forming a light 'crust' that holds in juices. Above 90 °C the liquid boils, shattering delicate flesh and clouding the court bouillon. Cook by temperature, not time.
Techniques that matter
Acid denaturation of proteins
Wine or vinegar lowers pH at the fish surface, partially denaturing proteins — they coagulate at a slightly lower temperature, forming a firmer, glossier exterior that helps the fish hold its shape and absorb subtle seasoning.
Osmosis and diffusion
Seasoning the court bouillon creates a salt gradient; salt and aromatics migrate into the fish during poaching, seasoning it from the outside in without requiring direct application of salt for short cooks.
Controlled bare simmer
A rolling boil mechanically breaks delicate fish flesh, clouds the liquid with emulsified proteins, and drives off volatile aromatic compounds. Bare simmer (85–90 °C) is the temperature at which proteins firm without fracturing.
Variations & derivatives
White court-bouillon (with milk)Classical French / Nouvelle Cuisine
Substitute part or all of the wine with cold milk. Lactose and milk proteins produce an exceptionally tender, pale finish — classical for poached sole and other delicate flatfish.
Bouillon de Poisson BlancFrench classical
A pale, refined court bouillon made with fish trimmings (bones, heads, skins) simmered briefly in the base, then strained. Used for refined fish mousses, quenelles, and forcemeats. This preparation blurs the line between court bouillon and fish fumet.
Bouillon de crevettesFrench / Belgian
Court bouillon made with shrimp shells and heads added to the aromatics. The chitin and juices create a shrimp-flavored poaching liquid used for langoustines and crevettes roses.
Escovitch fish court-bouillonJamaican
The poaching and subsequent pickling liquid for escovitch fish — includes allspice, Scotch bonnet, thyme, and carrot. It borders on a finished sauce, demonstrating court bouillons's role as a flavor base beyond poaching.
Used in these dishes
Substitutions
- White wine → Dry vermouth or Champagne — Vermouth has similar acidity and aromatic complexity; acceptable when white wine is not available.
- White wine → White wine vinegar (diluted 50:50 with water) — Mimics the acidity but lacks the depth and buffering capacity of wine. Use only when vinegar character is specifically desired.changes result
- Bouquet garni → Dried herbes de Provence — Herbes de Provence contains lavender and other botanicals absent from classical bouquet garni. The flavor shifts notably — acceptable only as a last resort.changes result
Troubleshooting
Liquid becomes cloudy during poaching
Temperature too high (rolling boil) or protein was moved or shaken during cooking → Maintain 85–90 °C only. If cloudiness appears, strain the court bouillon after use; clarify with egg whites if making a fumet, and discard if intended for further poaching of delicate proteins.
Fish tastes overpoweringly of vinegar or wine
Acid proportion too high, or protein poached too long as acid continues to penetrate the flesh → Reduce acid to 1 part in 4 (20–25% of total volume). Remove fish from court bouillon as soon as it reaches target internal temperature (62–65 °C for most white fish). Rest in liquid off-heat for only 2–3 minutes.
Aromatics dominate; fish tastes of vegetables
Court bouillon infused too long, aromatics cut too fine, or proportions too concentrated → Infuse aromatics 15–20 minutes maximum. Use rough chop, not fine dice. Strain before poaching. Reduce aromatic quantities for very delicate fish (sole, turbot).