Add depth to your dishes: The art and science of crafting a bouquet garni

Directly translated from French, a bouquet garni simply means "a bunch of herbs". This term perfectly captures the essence of this enhancement to many dishes. In France, aromatic bouquets have been used in cooking for centuries. Pierre de la Varenne, the author of the groundbreaking culinary work "Le Cuisinier françois" ("The French chef"), was the first to mention them in 1651.

His publication marked the transition from the heavy, highly spiced dishes of the Middle Ages to a more nuanced style of cooking that emphasised balance and delicate flavours. Intense, spiced additions such as ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves were replaced by milder herbs like parsley, thyme, basil, oregano, and tribulus. They are ideally mixed in sets called bouquet garni.

In each region of France, the composition of the "bouquet" varies slightly. The most classic combination consists of three sprigs of parsley, one sprig of thyme, and a bay leaf, tied with kitchen string (formerly, simple cotton twine was used) or fresh leek or celery leaves.

Regardless of the composition, a bouquet garni not only enhances the flavor and aroma of a dish, but also provides a significant dose of valuable nutrients.

A simple analysis of the classic set demonstrates this. Parsley provides a good amount of iron, a deficiency of which can cause symptoms like permanent fatigue, pale skin, and hair loss. It also strengthens immunity with its vitamin C content, assists vision with vitamin A, and regulates nerve system function with potassium. Scientists have discovered that apigenin, a flavonoid compound found in parsley, may even inhibit the development of certain cancers, especially breast cancer.

Thyme is equally valuable - it's rich in essential oils, especially thymol, carvacrol, and cymol, which have disinfectant, relaxing, and bactericidal properties. They thin bronchial secretions and facilitate expectoration. They effectively clear the airways and also help to overcome insomnia. Thyme improves digestion, particularly of fats, stimulates the secretion of gastric juice, and prevents various ailments, especially diarrhea and bloating.

Bay leaf, in contrast, has detoxifying and cleansing properties, lowers blood sugar levels, and supports digestion as well as liver function.

This bunch of herbs usually complements soups, broths, sauces and goulashes. Accomplished chefs can create combinations that perfectly enhance the specific dish.

The ingredients of the bouquet garni are usually tied together with kitchen string or cotton twine, which can be replaced with fresh leek leaves during spring and summer. In France, it's not uncommon to tie the bouquet with bacon. If using dried herbs, they can be placed in a gauze bag (some people substitute paper coffee filters). Additional flavours can be extracted by adding a few grains of allspice, pepper or a clove of garlic.

The best time to enhance your dish with such a herb bouquet is roughly 15 minutes before the end of cooking, after which the bouquet garni is removed, having achieved the desired aroma.