Bouquet Garni

July 25, 2011

Bouquet Garni - Medium Bundle © kvalifood.com

It is a part of many recipes, but it is rarely described in depth just exactly what a “bouquet” is. Bouquet garni means “a bundle of herbs”. There may be several different kinds of herbs in it. The classical version consist only of parsley, thyme and bay leaves. The typical mistake is to make it too small with to few herbs.

Ingredients

Small bundle for 1-2 l/quarts liquid

1 small bunch parsley (the bundle of stems should be as thick as a middle finger.)
1/2 bay leaf
3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried.)

Medium bundle for 2-4 l/quarts liquid

1 bunch parsley (the bundle of stems should be as thick as a (male) thumb.)
1 bay leaf
5 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried.)

Large bundle for 4 l/quarts liquid

1 large bunch parsley (for example, an entire pot if you buy them fresh.)
2 bay leaves
7 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 to 2 tsp dried.)

Directions

In addition to the base herbs, you can add other spices as well. Tarragon, rosemary, juniper berries, orange peel, etc. But it depends on your recipe.

You often see in a recipe that the bundle should be wrapped in a small cloth bag or a tea strainer. This isn’t necessary if it’s for a stock that you’re going to strain anyway. For a long-simmered stew, it’s a good idea. Buy some unbleached cheesecloth at a fabric store, for example.

Fresh herbs are quite volatile, so the closer to the end of the cooking time you add the bundle to the dish, the stronger the herb flavor will be. Add it, for instance, half an hour before the dish is done.s