Bouquet garni

Bouquet garni is a bundle of herbs usually tied together with string and primarily used to prepare soup, stock, and various stews. The bouquet is cooked with the other ingredients, but is removed prior to consumption. There is no generic recipe for bouquet garni, but most recipes include thyme, bay leaf, and parsley. Depending on the recipe, the bouquet garni may also include basil, burnet, chervil, rosemary, peppercorns, savoury, and tarragon. Vegetables such as carrot, celery, celeriac, leek, onion and leeks, spices such as clove and allspice, and sometimes tomato are also sometimes included in a bouquet garni.

Origin and Usage

The term bouquet garni is French for "garnished bouquet". The practice of making bouquet garni is particularly common in French cuisine. The herbs are typically tied together with a string or placed in a cheesecloth bag, a net, or even a tea infuser, and then added to the pot for the duration of the cooking time. The bouquet is typically discarded after cooking.

While the bouquet garni is traditionally made with fresh herbs, it can also be made with dried herbs. The choice of herbs depends on the dish being prepared. For instance, a beef stew might call for a bouquet garni with thyme, bay leaf, and parsley, while a chicken soup might call for a different combination of herbs.

Variations

There are many variations of bouquet garni that are specific to certain regions or dishes. For example, in Provence, a bouquet garni might include lavender, as this herb is indigenous to the region. In some regions, a leek is used to bind the herbs together, while in others, a leek is included in the bouquet itself.

See Also

• Herbes de Provence
• Fines herbes
• Parsley
• Bay leaf
• Thyme