Court bouillon is used as a poaching liquid for a number of foods, but is used mainly for fish and seafood. A court bouillon contains a variety of aromatics to make a light vegetable stock to use for poaching. It should be boiled first before adding meat, fish, or seafood, to allow all of the flavor out of the vegetables and into the liquid.

Any type of vegetable can be used for court bouillon. Onion, garlic, carrots, celery, leeks, and fennel are the staple ingredients. Cut the vegetables as large or small as you prefer depending on if the vegetables will be served with the meal or not. A bouquet garni may be made to add any herbs and spices that have not been ground, this will make the spices easy to remove when finished. Use vegetables and spices you would like to eat with your meal, and that pair up with whatever type of meat is being poached.

Any type of liquid may be used for the court bouillon. The main liquid ingredients for a court bouillon are water, vinegar, and sometimes alcohol. Use a vinegar or alcohol that will go with what is being poached. For example, if you are poaching fish, the ingredients should be light and not have too much flavor such as carrots, celery, a dry white wine, slices of lemon or lemon juice, herbs, and peppercorns of any color.http://www.clovegarden.com/recipes/gmf_fishpoach1.html

• Stock pot
• Sieve
• 2 quarts waterhttp://www.recipesource.com/soups/soups/17/rec1746.html
• 1/2 cup carrots, skin peeled, cut into large cubes or chunks
• 1/2 cup celery, cut into large cubes
• 1 small onion, skin peeled or left on, cut into 4 or 8 pieces
• Celery leaves to taste, finely choppedhttp://www.globalgourmet.com/food/egg/egg1196/bouillon.html
• 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped or cut into julienne ribbons
• 2 garlic cloves, finely or coarsely chopped, or left whole
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white peppercornshttp://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Court-Bouillon-15210
• 1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup white wine

1. Prepare carrots, celery, garlic, and onion. Add to the stock pot.
2. Add prepared celery leaves, parsley, fresh thyme, and fresh basil to the stock pot.
3. A bouquet garni may be made for white and black peppercorns by placing them on some cheesecloth and closing by using kitchen string or tie the cheesecloth together. The peppercorns can also be added to the pot loose.
4. Add a bay leaf and salt to taste to the stock pot. Bay leaf may be added to the bouquet garni (if making).
5. Add water, white wine vinegar, and white wine to the stock pot and bring to a boil. Turn the temperature down to a simmer and let cook for 30 minutes.
6. Use right away for poaching, or allow to cool, strain through a fine sieve and store in the refrigerator. Court bouillon will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator, or 2 months in the freezer.

1. Fish: The fish that are best for poaching in court bouillon are bass, cod, haddock, halibut, pomfret, pompano, salmon, snapper, sole, tilapia, trout, and turbot. Catfish can be poached, but some people do not like it. The fish not suited for poaching are shark, mackerel, and tuna. Poaching will dry out these fish.http://www.clovegarden.com/recipes/gmf_fishpoach1.html
2. Seafood: The seafood best suited for poaching in court bouillon are scallops, shrimp, conch, and squid. Any shellfish or crustacean is well suited for poaching.http://www.beach-net.com/seafood/poached.html http://www.clovegarden.com/recipes/gmf_fishpoach1.html
3. Chicken: The best court bouillon to use to poach chicken is with the following general ingredients: water, chicken stock, a couple of slices of fresh ginger, a scallion, and other herbs and spices that will go well with chicken.http://www.melindalee.com/poachchicken.html