The Mixed Herb Bouquet

Mixed herb bouquets, known as bouquets garnis in French cuisine or hierbas de olor in Latin American cooking, are a blend of aromatic herbs used to infuse flavor into a dish during cooking. The idea behind these herb bundles is that they release their essential oils and flavors while cooking, without being fully incorporated into the dish. At the end of cooking, the bundle is usually removed, leaving the dish with a rich, herbaceous taste.

Origins of Mixed Herb Bouquets

The practice of using mixed herb bouquets is ancient and widespread across many cuisines, especially in European and Latin American traditions. While bouquet garni originates in French cuisine, variations of herb bouquets exist globally, adapted to local herbs and flavors. These bundles are often tied together with string or placed inside a cheesecloth bag for easy removal after cooking.

In Latin American cuisine, particularly in Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru, hierbas de olor (literally “herbs of scent”) are used to flavor soups, stews, and meats. These herb mixes are often added to cooking liquids to subtly enhance the taste of the dish.

How They’re Used

Mixed herb bouquets are primarily used for:

1. Flavoring Soups and Stews: The bouquet is added to broths and stocks to infuse complex flavors without the herbs directly impacting the texture of the dish.

2. Marinating Meats and Fish: The herbs can also be used to flavor meats during marination, imparting their aroma and essence into the proteins.

3. Enhancing Rice or Grains: Some herb bouquets are tied to flavor rice or grains when they cook, giving them a delicate herbal note.

4. Infusing Oils or Vinegars: Herbs can be steeped in oil or vinegar to create aromatic infusions that are later used for cooking or salad dressings.

Examples of Mixed Herb Bouquets and Hierbas de Olor

1. Bouquet Garni (French)

   • Ingredients: Typically a bundle of thyme, bay leaves, parsley stems, and sometimes rosemary or tarragon.

   • Usage: This bouquet is traditionally used in French dishes like pot au feu (beef stew), bouillabaisse (fish stew), or coq au vin (chicken in wine).

2. Hierbas de Olor (Latin American, especially Ecuador) In Ecuador and parts of Colombia and Peru, hierbas de olor are used to flavor stews, soups, and meats.

   • Ingredients: These include a variety of culantro (similar to cilantro but with broader leaves), hierba buena (a type of mint), romero (rosemary), orégano (oregano), albahaca (basil), and laurel (bay leaves).

   • Usage: Hierbas de olor are commonly added to soups such as caldo de pollo (chicken broth) or locro de papa (potato soup), and to stews or rice dishes. The herbs are often tied together or wrapped in a cloth for easy removal after the cooking process.

3. Italian Herb Bouquet (Italian)

   • Ingredients: Rosemary, sage, bay leaves, and thyme.

   • Usage: Used in Italian dishes like osso buco (braised veal shanks) or in stews and sauces, where the herbs add depth of flavor to the rich sauces.

4. Spanish Bouquet (Spanish)

   • Ingredients: Thyme, bay leaves, parsley, and rosemary.

   • Usage: This bouquet is often used to flavor rice dishes like paella or stews like cocido madrileño (a Spanish meat and vegetable stew).

5. Herb Bundles in Middle Eastern Cooking

   • Ingredients: Rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, parsley, and sometimes mint or oregano.

   • Usage: In dishes like lamb stews or chicken with rice, herb bouquets provide a delicate aromatic background.

Hierbas de Olor in Ecuadorian Cooking

In Ecuador, hierbas de olor are essential to local cooking, especially in traditional soups and broths. Each region may have its own variation, but the herbs used in Ecuadorian cuisine are known for their bold, aromatic presence. Here are some examples of how they are used:

1. Caldo de Gallina (Chicken Soup): A common Ecuadorian dish, caldo de gallina is a hearty chicken soup made with hierbas de olor, especially culantro (which gives it a cilantro-like flavor) and romero (rosemary), to infuse the broth.

2. Seco de Pollo (Chicken Stew): This dish uses hierbas de olor such as albahaca (basil), romero, and laurel (bay leaves), combined with other aromatic ingredients like onions, garlic, and cumin to create a flavorful chicken stew.

3. Locro de Papa (Potato Soup): This dish is a creamy, comforting potato soup from the Andes, often cooked with hierbas de olor like orégano and romero.

4. Aji de Gallina (Spicy Chicken Stew): A rich, creamy chicken stew flavored with hierbas de olor and ají (chili peppers), giving it a fragrant, spicy taste.

How to Make a Simple Herb Bouquet at Home

If you want to make a mixed herb bouquet at home, follow these simple steps:

1. Select the herbs: Choose fresh herbs based on the dish you’re making. For Ecuadorian-style dishes, you might select culantro, romero, laurel, albahaca, and orégano.

2. Tie them together: Gather the herbs and tie them securely with kitchen twine. If you don’t want to worry about herbs floating around, you can place them in a small cheesecloth bag.

3. Add to your dish: Drop the herb bouquet into your simmering soup, stew, or sauce. Let it cook with the dish, allowing the flavors to infuse.

4. Remove before serving: After cooking, remove the herb bouquet before serving, as the herbs will have released their essential flavors.

Conclusion

Mixed herb bouquets, or hierbas de olor, are a key culinary technique in many cultures, offering a simple yet effective way to infuse complex flavors into dishes. Whether you’re cooking a classic French stew, a spicy Latin American chicken dish, or an Italian sauce, these herb bundles bring depth and freshness to your cooking.