One of the best things chefs learn in culinary is the power of mirepoix. What is mirepoix, you might ask? It is a French word, pronounced meer-PWAH, for the mixture of three (or more) chopped vegetables, usually celery, carrots and onion, that provide the perfect base for savory cooking. Chefs all around the world refer to mirepoix as “The Holy Trinity” because it adds so much depth and flavor to savory dishes.

Ratios

The typical ratio for mirepoix is a 2:1:1 ratio for onions, carrots, and celery. So that is approximately 1 yellow onion, 1 large carrot, and 2 celery ribs.

How to Cook Mirepoix

The key to cooking mirepoix is to sauté it slowly (and without browning) in butter or olive oil to gently coax out its flavors. This forms the perfect aromatic base for a wide variety of savory dishes. It’s wonderful for comfort meals like chili and chicken noodle soup.

Improvising with Mirepoix

If are someone who loves to throw things together and use your creativity a bit in the kitchen, mirepoix is a really fun way to do that. For example, if you feel like having roast chicken tonight, here is a easy mirepoix/chicken improv:

Sauté large chunks of carrots, celery and onion (throw in chunks of potato in for good measure) in a cast iron skillet, then top with a quartered chicken (keep the skin on for more intense flavor), and bake at 350 degrees until the vegetables are sweetly roasted and the chicken is 165 degrees F (or the juices run clear).

Making Stock with Mirepoix

-For brown stocks like beef stock, use one pound of mirepoix to six parts of cold water. It is customary to roast the mirepoix before adding it to the stock liquid, which really adds a lot of depth of flavor and color to the finished stock.

-For white stocks like chicken stock, use about one pound of mirepoix for quarts of water.

-For fish stock, use half a pound of mirepoix per gallon of cold water. You can cook the mirepoix and fish bones in butter for a few minutes before adding the water.

Pre-Chopped Mirepoix

You can save a few minutes of chopping by finding pre-chopped mirepoix at most grocery stores for just a couple bucks.

Or you can even pre-chop the veggies yourself and store them in ziptop bags in the fridge until you need them.

Do you use mirepoix in your cooking as a base for some of your favorite savory dishes?