The Court Bouillion Food

POACHING LIQUID FOR LOBSTER (COURT BOUILLON)

Steps:

• Bring about 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add the wine, coriander, salt, red pepper, thyme, bay leaves, garlic and lemon to the boiling water, and then reduce the heat and simmer, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Place the lobster in the pot and simmer, 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the lobster sit in the hot water 10 minutes.
• Plunge the lobster into a salted ice bath. When completely cool, remove from the ice and serve.

COURT-BOUILLON

Steps:

• Fill a large stockpot with 7 quarts of water. Make a bouquet garni: Place the herbs, spices, and bay leaves on a square of cheesecloth; tie into a bundle with kitchen twine. Add to pot. Stir in wine, leek, carrots, lemon, and salt.
• Cover, and bring mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat. Uncover; gently simmer 30 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Let cool completely.

COURT BOUILLON FOR POACHING FISH

Steps:

• For the bouillon: Place all ingredients in medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes. Strain and reserve. Can be refrigerated 3 days or frozen for months.
• For the fish: Run fingers over fish fillets to feel for tiny bones; if there are any, remove with needlenose pliers or tweezers. Lightly oil or butter the bottom of a deep skillet big enough to fit fish fillets in a single layer and place fish thus in skillet. Bring court bouillon to a simmer. Gently pour court bouillon over the fish, covering completely. Turn heat on very low so that liquid steams but does not quite simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and let fish sit in liquid an additional 5 minutes per inch of thickness. Start checking fish for doneness: a thin knife inserted in thickest part of fillet should meet with just slight resistance. Fish should still be slightly translucent in center. Remove fish from skillet with slotted spatula, blot the bottom lightly with a paper towel, and serve.
• For the almonds: Heat large nonstick skillet over medium flame. Add almonds and cook for 2 minutes, tossing frequently, until light brown and smelling toasty. Reduce heat to low. Drizzle oil over nuts and toss well. Sprinkle soy and lime juice over and toss well. Sprinkle cayenne, black pepper, garlic and scallion white/light greens over and toss very well. Continue to cook, stirring and tossing frequently, for 5 minutes or until nuts are dry and scallion and garlic are soft. Add scallion greens, toss again, and serve over poached bass or snapper with a wedge of lime.
• For the emulsion: Wash watercress and remove the thickest stems. Bring medium pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Have a medium bowl of ice water at hand for refreshing. When water returns to the boil, plunge watercress in and cook for 30 seconds. Drain watercress and quickly drop in ice water. When thoroughly chilled, drain watercress again and lightly squeeze out water. Chop blanched watercress roughly on cutting board. Place in blender and puree, adding a little water if necessary to get the mixture going. With blender running, gradually pour in oil until emulsion is formed. Add rest of salt and pepper, puree again and taste, adjusting seasoning if needed. Serve over poached salmon.

GE COURT BOUILLON

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8 minutes. Strain or use chunky the first time, then strain through a fine mesh and either refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Either way, be sure to bring to a boil before reusing.

LOUISIANA COURT-BOUILLON (OR CAJUN COURT BOUILLON)

Steps:

• Cut fish into 3 inch chunks and sprinkle with creole seasoning. Set in fridge.
• Cook veggies in butter until tender.
• Add roux (either use 4 tablespoons flour browned in a pan or oven or make with 4 tablespoons flour browned in 3 tablespoons butter).
• Add bay leaves.
• Add stock, tomatoes, other liquid ingredients and salt and pepper. Note: chicken stock or clam juice (or both) can be used if you have no fish stock.
• Simmer 20 minutes.
• Add fish, seasonings, and parsley and simmer gently for 15 more minutes.
• Adjust seasonings to taste.
• Serve with rice in bowl.

THE COURT BOUILLION

Steps:

• Tie together parsley, bay leaf and thyme. Place in a pot with remaining ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Strain and set aside until ready to use.

THE COURT-BOUILLON

Steps:

• Peel carrots and cut into chunks. Put in saucepan.
• Trim off ends of leek and cut it into 1-inch lengths. Cut celery into 1-inch lengths. Add leeks and celery and onion to pot.
• Tie parsley tails, thyme and bay leaf into a bundle and add this. Add anise seeds, garlic, lemon peel, salt, peppercorns, wine and water. Bring to boil. Let simmer 20 minutes.

COURT BOUILLON (PRONOUNCED KOO-BEE-YON)

Steps:

• Quick and easy method -- Put all ingredients into a large soup pot and simmer over low heat.
• It doesn't matter if the herbs are fresh or dried for this method. It takes about 1/2 hour to meld the flavors, but it's better to bring this rich soup/stew to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for at least 30 minutes.
• Toward the end of the cooking time, add lemon juice or wine. It really enhances the flavors and helps to keep the fish firm and not discolored.
• Serve the stew over hot rice in individual bowls.
• Traditional method -- Use approximately 2 pounds of your favorite fish. In the New Orleans area, red snapper is usually the fish chosen. Sometimes catfish is chosen. But any fish is delicious!
• In a cast iron skillet, make a roux by melting butter, then slowly stirring in flour until it becomes dark brown in color. Don't burn! The roux will thicken the stew and give it good flavor. Set aside.
• In a large pot, place all other ingredients and slowly add the cooked roux to this mixture, stirring constantly until combined well and the soup is thickened. If you like, you may brown the onions in another skillet before adding to this mixture.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for approximately ten to fifteen minutes or until fish flakes easily. Or, you may leave the pot uncovered and allow the stew to cook down a bit, depending upon your taste.
• Adjust seasonings.
• Serve the stew over hot rice in individual bowls.
• NOTE: Here are different ways for preparing the fish.
• FRESH WATER FISH -- saute in 1 tablespoon butter, then add to stock.
• LOBSTER TAILS -- blanch or steam halfway, then run under the broiler to finish and keep them from toughening. Add to the completed stock.
• CRAB AND SHRIMP -- Undercook and let finish cooking in the cooled stock to impart the best flavor.

COURT BOUILLON

Steps:

• Cut up leek, carrot, and celery and in a large saucepan bring to a boil with remaining ingredients. Boil mixture 10 minutes and pour through a fine sieve into a bowl. Court bouillon keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days or, frozen, 2 months.