TIP OF THE WEEK - Add a bouquet garni
published: Thursday | April 20, 2006

EVER WISHED you could enjoy a bowl of soup without thyme leaves, withered scallion and floating pimento berries? You could if the server removed them painstakingly before placing the meal in front of you. But there is an easier way.

Just place all your seasonings in a drawstring gauze bag (bouquet garni) and place it in the pot to simmer at the usual time that you would add seasoning to the pot. The juices from the bouquet garni, not the debris, will remain.

To get more out of the seasoning, blend some onions, scallion, thyme, pepper and garlic with the water used to start the soup and add this to the pot. These flavours will be absorbed in the soup and be enhanced by what you add later.