Legume Free Classic Court Bouillon

Total time45 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time35 min

4.8

(30)

Court bouillon is one of those foundational kitchen preparations that quietly elevates everything it touches — a fragrant, wine-scented poaching liquid built from fresh vegetables, herbs, and a splash of vinegar. The combination of white wine, lemon rounds, parsley, thyme, and bay leaves creates a broth that smells absolutely incredible as it simmers, filling the kitchen with something between a French bistro and a coastal seafood shack. Because the entire recipe is built on aromatics, produce, and pantry staples, there's nothing here that could sneak in a legume — no hidden bean flours, no lentil-based thickeners, no soy derivatives that often lurk in store-bought stocks and broths. That makes it a genuinely clean, worry-free base for poaching fish, shellfish, or vegetables. After 30 minutes of simmering, you strain everything out and are left with a beautifully golden, deeply aromatic liquid that's ready to use right away or stash in the freezer for later. It's the kind of recipe that feels almost too simple for how much flavor it delivers, and once you have a batch on hand, you'll find yourself reaching for it constantly.

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Ingredients

4 servings

8 cups cold water
2 cups dry white wine
¼ cup white wine vinegar
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced into rounds
4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 dried bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
½ tsp fennel seeds (optional)
1 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1
Combine the water, white wine, and white wine vinegar in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
2
Add the carrots, celery, onion, lemon slices, parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, black peppercorns, fennel seeds (if using), and kosher salt.

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