Mirepoix: A Standard In Traditional French Cooking
You’ve probably seen carrots and celery served alongside your hot wings at a sports bar, or seen onions, carrots and celery chopped together at the supermarket without giving them a second thought.
However, this combination is one of the foundations of traditional French cuisine that every budding chef should know about while working toward their culinary certificates. In fact, you’ve probably prepared your very own mirepoix in the past without actually even knowing it!
Sweating onions, carrots and celery with butter or olive oil is the basis for many soups, sauces, risottos and bases, according to the Los Angeles Times. These vegetables can also be used as a garnish for braises. When mirepoix is chopped finely, it can also add tremendous flavor to roasts or soups.
They may seem like boring, everyday veggies, but their all-natural aromatic flavors lend to several recipes, ranging from sophisticated dishes in your online culinary programs to simple comfort foods like chicken noodle soup.
The Times recommends a ratio of 50 percent onion, 25 percent carrot and 25 percent celery for recipes requiring mirepoix; however, there are some exceptions to this rule for certain dishes, like carrot soups.
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