Poaching in Court Bouillon

This method is used when the fish is to be briefly cooked and lightly flavored. Court bouillon literally means “short broth” and refers to the fact that it has been cooked for only a short time. Its purpose is to lightly flavor the flesh of a fish. The court bouillon is always cold when the fish is placed in it because if it is hot, the fish will contract and curl up and will not be presentable.

The liquid is then brought to 82°C (180°F), a temperature that should remain constant during the poaching process. The length of time that a fish cooks in a court bouillon depends on the size of the fish. If the fish is to be served cold, it should be allowed to cool in the court bouillon. This must be taken into consideration when determining the total cooking time, since the fish will continue to cook while the liquid remains hot.