Saturday, October 18, 2008

:: discovering mirepoix ::

So it's pronounced "meer-pwah" and supposedly the holy trinity of french cooking. It's a combination of onions, celery, carrots (2:1:1 ratio) used as a flavor base for a wide range of dishes such as soups, stews, sauces etc. It's cooked in butter typically and allowed to sweat, i think there's the step of adding white wine as well. Had the ingredients so I thought I'd try it out for a strong fish stock today. I realize after the fact that I didnt chop up the carrots quite find enough so we'll see how it goes. :)
My mirepoix sweating in the pressure cooker...

2 comments:

Tracy Reifkind said...

Jo,

Mark and I were just talking, literally hours ago, about the requests I get to write a cookbook and I said, "I'd have to call it Onion, Celery, Carrot." (....and garlic....and jalapeno....lol)

I'm sure the name has been taken, for sure "mirepoix" must be taken. It's the classic base for everything on earth you can possibly cook...unless you're in the south, they call their mirepoix, "the hole Trinity" onion, carrot and green bell pepper.

Mirepoix is done in a classic dice slightly smaller than 1/4", larger tha 1/8". If you look at any of the pictures on my blog of my starting ingredients, the mirepoix is diced. I even start my chilis with mirepoix! You can even make...what? Mirepoix Soup? LOL (with garlic and jalapeno of course!)

Jo said...

Good to know. I actually dont like celery but i dont think the taste comes through strongly in the mirepoix so i'm more open to it now. :P

Yes - please write a cooking book! I can help with taking professional pictures! :)

Do you start off your mirepoix in butter or you're ok with using EVOO?