This type of bouquet is not made of flowers, as bouquets usually are, but of herbs. It is used in cooking. The fact that its name is complicated should not lead you to think that it is also complicated to make or difficult to use. Quite the opposite!
The aromatic bouquet of herbs is mainly used for flavoring and seasoning broths and various soups. The practically tied herbs in the form of a bouquet allow it to be easily removed from your dish after it has "done" its work.
You also don't have to look for herbs scattered around the dish. This bouquet of herbs, as mentioned above, is specially tied with twine or wrapped in gauze. The little secret in this bouquet is that you can combine herbs, which you know are suitable for the dish you are cooking.
As the name of the Bouquet Garni suggests, it is mainly used in French cuisine. It is also important to note, that this type of bouquet is best placed in dishes, which will be cooked slowly and for a longer time.
One very popular recipe for Bouquet Garni's, ie for its contents, is leeks, celery, thyme and bay leaves. And here's how you can make such a bouquet at home:
You need three stalks of celery, dark green leek leaves, 1 bunch of thyme, 1 bunch of fresh basil, bay leaves, twine. And here's how it's made: The celery is wrapped on the bay leaves, then rosemary, thyme and basil are added.
This Bouquet Garni is tied with twine. Another piece of advice we can give for this bouquet is to leave the twine with which you tie it longer, so that you can take it out easier, or you can tie it to the handle of the pan or another cookware in which you will be cooking your dish, so that it doesn't "swim" in it.
If the recipe we gave you is not to your liking, there are a few more ways to prepare it. You can make a Bouquet Garni with gauze by adding thyme, black pepper or stalks of dill and parsley, which most of us throw away.
When made with gauze, it does not allow it to fall apart during cooking. There is also a classic Bouquet Garni recipe made with celery. For this bouquet you need thyme, bay leaves, parsley, leeks and celery and you can add or replace any herb to your liking. This bouquet is perfect for all kinds of soups and rich broths.
Another variation of this bouquet is the one with leeks. You can also make a Bouquet Garni with oregano. There are no leaves in this recipe, because after making this bouquet with oregano, you will feel like you are holding a bouquet for a bride. There are also options with black pepper and tarragon. You can make it with both fresh and dried herbs.
In addition to broths and soups, you can use Bouquet Garni when cooking stews, oven-baked meat and appetizing roasted vegetables.
