Court Bouillon with Wine

The court bouillon is a most necessary auxiliary in all kitchens, where it plays an important part; it is prepared fresh every day, and special care is taken to have it good, for in it the principal fishes are cooked, and with it the sauce Normande is made, so useful for hurried work.

First prepare a broth with the heads of large, fresh fish, some roots, onions, a bunch of parsley and a little salt; let it boil very slowly for half an hour, then strain and skim off the fat, and leave it to settle until clear. From the bones and heads of bass, sheepshead, blackfish, etc., the best fish stock is obtained.

Cook a mirepoix composed of sliced roots, shallots and onions, add to it the fragments of fish as explained above and cook these together for a few moments on a good fire; moisten with two or three gills of white wine and let it fall to a glaze over a brisk fire; moisten it again at once with two gills of fish broth and also let this fall to a glaze, then remoisten to their height with good fish broth and a little white wine, add a bunch of aromatic herbs, a bunch of parsley, and some fresh mushroom peelings, boil the liquid while skimming and set it on one side of the range to despumate for a quarter of an hour, skimming it carefully. Strain the stock through a sieve, let it settle, and pour off the top into a glazed vessel, and if it be not succulent enough, then reduce it again; keep it in a cool place.

This stock may be easily kept from one day to another, if care be taken to keep the vessel and its contents incrusted on ice. This court bouillon may also be moistened with red wine; in either case, it must be prepared with the greatest care possible.