Learn The Secret of Simple French Mirepoix

Learn the secret of simple French mirepoix, (pronounced meer-PWAH). Certainly, improve every dish with easy recipe. Nothing transfixes the soul like the aromatic and savory characteristics of mirepoix. Elevate every-day roast chicken or restore the body and mind with a more flavorful bone broth. Most importantly, transport the senses with a correctly toned French sauce — all with mirepoix.

What is Mirepoix?

For me, as a chef, Mirepoix is a buttery, wine-laced stock garnished with an aromatic mixture of carrots, onions, celery and a bouquet garni. To clarify, classic French mirepoix is diced carrots, onions and celery cooked in some form of fat, such as butter or duck fat. The savory combination greatly enhances the flavor of every dish. For example, sauces, soups, stews and roast meats. The onions and celery celebrate aromatic flavors and the carrots for their sweetness. Of course, is helpful that they are both available at the same time, and have incredible nutrient value. So, let’s learn the secret of simple French mirepoix.

Learn The Secret of Simple French Mirepoix, Chef Missy

About this Recipe

YIELDS: between 4 to 5 cups

TIME: 15 minutes prep; 30 minutes without wine; 45 minutes cook time with wine.

NUTRITION: onion & celery are low in calories & fat, but high in vitamins and minerals. Also, they act as sponges for toxins soaking them in along the way. As a result, they are super foods for your immune system.

Learn The Secret to Simple French Mirepoix, Chef Missy

Carrots are sweet and are quoted as being high in sugar. However, they are excellent at lowering blood sugar levels. Similarly, they are high in vitamins and minerals.

Ingredients

2 parts onion, 1 part celery, 1 part carrot
2 chopped onion (16 ounces)
4-5 stalks chopped celery (8 ounces)
4 carrots, chopped (8 ounces)
5 cloves of garlic
1-2 cups of dry sherry or white wine
1 lemon
good french sea salt
fresh cracked pepper
4 tablespoons herbs de provence
1 bunch of fresh thyme
5 tablespoons unsalted butter

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

first, chop all vegetables before moving forward with cooking. Peel carrots, cut onions, and chop celery. Save all scraps for veggie stock or to compost for the garden. Keep a small bucket in the refrigerator and add to it all week. Make a big stock on Sunday.

Step 2

second, be generous with your fat. Get at least 5 tablespoons of your fat hot at a low temperature, but do not burn your fat.

french provencal vegetable casserole, The French Magnolia Cooks

Step 3

third, sauté onions very slowly on a low heat without color or browning. You are simply cooking the onions in fat until they become clear in color. To clarify, mirepoix is not sautéed. True sautéing would caramelize the onions. Consequently, they would become sweet in flavor.

Step 4

fourth, add chopped celery and carrots and cook for another 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prep your herbs and spices.

Step 5

After the vegetables are clear and semi-soft, but not brown, add the following spices. 1 tablespoon of good French sea salt, 1 tablespoon of fresh cracked pepper, 1-2 tablespoons of either dried Herbs de Provence blend OR 3 tablespoons of fresh thyme. Most importantly, the fresh juice from 1 large lemon.

Step 6

For added flavor, I always add 1-2 cups of dry sherry or dry white wine. After that, I let the wine simmer until reduced out. So, it should take another 20 minutes. Above all, pour yourself a glass too.

Step 7

After that, you can do whatever you want. For instance, pour this mixture over quartered chicken and roast. Or, follow any classic sauce recipe. Add chicken bones and water to make a stock. On the other hand, add tomato paste for French Pincage.

Other Mirepoix Options

French Pincage

French pinçage (pronounced pin-sahge) is mirepoix with tomato paste added. It’s a great option for adding mirepoix to sauces. Use pinçage in French sauces, French Basque or Country French cuisine or good ole fashion Southern dishes. For instance,

Classic French demi-glace
Shrimp Scampi Provencal
Sauce Espagnole
Oxtail Consomme

The Holy Trinity

The Cajun holy trinity is a version of mirepoix used in the New Orleans, Louisiana. It consists of onion, green bell pepper, and celery in the following ratio: two parts onion, one part green bell pepper, and one part celery. It’s cooked in a neutral vegetable oil until soft and aromatic. Use holy trinity in cajun dishes. For instance,

Gumbo
Jambalaya
Red beans and rice

WHY is Mirepoix called Mirepoix?

The word mirepoix dates from the 18th century and derives, most importantly, from French cuisine. In the case of mirepoix we look to the aristocratic employer of the chef who created the first recipe. Charles-Pierre-Gaston Francois de Levis was an Ambassador to Louis VX and also the Duke of Mirepoix. Mirepoix was in Southwestern France, in the Occitanie, Langedouc region. Charles-Pierre’s Chef de Cuisine established the sautéed three vegetable medley that serve as a base for all his sauce and dish recipes. Subsequently, he named it after his employer — the Duke of mirepoix. Ironically, at the end of the Duke of Mirepoix’s life he told his wife that he had but one claim to fame. He gave his name to a sauce.