The Vegetables

The flavour and appearance of the vegetables in your pot-au-feu will be better if they are not overcooked. For the best results, carrots and turnips, cut in quarters, can be added to the bouillon immediately after it has been skimmed. Leeks, split if they are big and with most of the green cut off, should be tied together with the celery and added an hour after the other vegetables along with an onion, stuck with cloves, garlic and a bouquet garni. In the North of France they add a small bouquet of fresh chervil to the stock when the pot-au-feu is three-quarters cooked, and some cooks like to improve the colour of the bouillon by adding a few pea pods dried in the oven. Cabbage, not usually a part of the classic pot-au-feu, can be cooked separately, in water at first and then in a little of the bouillon, and served with the meat and vegetables. Potatoes, too, are sometimes boiled or steamed and served with a pot-au-feu.