Nage / Court-Bouillon

Court-bouillon (literally 'short broth' — short in cooking time, not in flavor) is an aromatic acidulated liquid assembled from water or a light stock, white wine or wine vinegar, a mirepoix of onion and carrot, a bouquet garni (thyme, bay, parsley stems), salt, and black peppercorns. It is brought to a boil, simmered for 20–30 minutes to extract the aromatics, then used as a poaching medium for seafood (whole fish, shrimp, lobster, langoustines), vegetables, or occasionally poultry. The acid component serves multiple functions: it keeps white flesh from discoloring, firms the proteins slightly, and balances the sweetness of the vegetables. Court-bouillon is not intended to become a sauce in its own right; it is a disposable poaching medium, made quickly with humble ingredients, used once or twice, and discarded. A nage is a more refined, more intensely flavored court-bouillon designed specifically to become part of the dish. It typically includes a higher proportion of aromatics and wine, is often finished with butter or cream, and is served as a light sauce. The phrase 'à la nage' (literally 'in the swim') describes a presentation in which seafood is served in a shallow pool of the warm, buttered cooking broth — crayfish à la nage is the canonical example in classical French cuisine, but the format is now standard for scallops, oysters, clams, and firm-fleshed fish. Grenouilles à la nage (frogs' legs in a herb-flecked broth) is another classic application. The distinction between court-bouillon and nage is one of intent and finish: both are aromatic poaching liquids, but the nage is built more deliberately, often clarified or strained finely, and finished with cold butter (monté au beurre) to create a light emulsified sauce. Vinegar-based court-bouillon (vinaigre blanc) is preferred for river fish like carp or trout, where a slightly higher acid level counteracts any muddy character in the flesh; white-wine court-bouillon is standard for shellfish and ocean fish.

“The langoustines were dropped into the simmering nage for ninety seconds, then served in shallow bowls with a ladleful of the buttered broth and a scatter of chevril — the definition of à la nage.”

• TechniquePoaching
• ConceptCuisson / Cooking Liquor
• CuisineFrench

1. 1.Le Guide Culinaire — Auguste Escoffier
2. 2.Sauces: Classical and Contemporary Sauce Making — James Peterson
3. 3.The Professional Chef, 9th Edition — The Culinary Institute of America
4. 4.Fish & Shellfish — James Peterson
5. 5.Larousse Gastronomique — Prosper Montagné (ed.)

Confidence: high