In the royal kitchens of yore around India, stock was often used as the foundational liquid to infuse grains of rice or stews and curries with flavours from the bones of mutton and chicken. What added depth and dimension to this cooking liquid was the addition of a small muslin cloth bundle or potli that contained whole spices and aromatics, meant to elevate the taste of this rich liquid. Similarly, in French cooking, the bouquet garni is a classic combination of parsley, thyme, garlic cloves and bay leaves.
While the primary purpose of a bouquet garni is to infuse the dish with the aromatic flavours from the herbs, it is also particularly helpful in avoiding loose leaves or stems in the final dish. A typical bouquet garni utilises fresh herbs but some might resort to using dried ones if fresh variants are hard to find. Other types of these flavour bundles can include other herbs such as rosemary, sage, marjoram and basil, depending on the recipe and/or personal preferences. The process of making this bundle usually involves placing them in a clean piece of cheesecloth and tying them with string or placed in a special perforated container for easy removal after the cooking process is complete.
Once dropped into a soup, stock or curry, the herbs in a bouquet garni release their flavours into the liquid they are cooking in, enhancing the taste of the dish. This is particularly important in long-simmering or slow-cooked dishes where the herbs have time to impart their aromatic qualities. Moreover, tying the herbs together or placing them in a permeable container makes it easy to remove the bouquet garni from the dish once the desired flavours have been imparted. Depending on the type of cuisine or the specific dish you're preparing, you can customize the bouquet garni with different herbs or spices, thus allowing you to tailor the flavour profile in a way that complements the key ingredients of the dish.
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A bouquet garni provides a consistent and controlled way to season a dish, preventing over-seasoning that can occur when using loose herbs or spices, especially if they are difficult to remove from the dish. Instead of adding individual herbs separately, a bouquet garni simplifies the process by allowing you to add a combination of herbs at once, making it particularly convenient to cook with in busy kitchens. While the classic bouquet garni typically consists of parsley, thyme and bay leaves, other variations include ingredients based on the culinary tradition of the specific dish being prepared.
Image Credits: Herbal Academy
A few examples of this include the Provençal bouquet garni with the inclusion of rosemary in the classic mix, as well as an Italian variation that uses fresh oregano. A Mexican bouquet garni, on the other hand would contain fresh coriander leaves and stems, along with Mexican oregano, garlic, cinnamon and bay leaves whereas the Mediterranean counterpart would use a mix of fresh herbs that include parsley, marjoram and rosemary.
