Nage is the term used in the USA and everywhere else in the culinary world (French word) for a flavored liquid used for

poaching Poaching has been defined as the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights. Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set a ...

delicate foods, typically

seafood Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans, prominently including fish and shellfish. Shellfish include various species of molluscs (e.g. bivalve molluscs such as clams, oysters and mussels, and cephalopods such as octopus an ...

. A traditional nage is a

broth Broth, also known as bouillon (), is a savory liquid made of water in which meat, fish or vegetables have been simmered for a short period of time. It can be eaten alone, but it is most commonly used to prepare other dishes, such as soups, ...

flavored with white wine, vegetables, and herbs, in which seafood is poached. The liquid is then reduced and thickened with cream and/or butter.

Background

Cooking something ''à la nage'' translates as “while swimming” ( French ''nage'') and refers to cooking in a well-flavored

court-bouillon Court-bouillon or court bouillon (in Louisiana, pronounced ''coo-bee-yon'') is a quickly-cooked broth used for poaching other foods, most commonly fish or seafood. It is also sometimes used for poaching vegetables, eggs, sweetbreads, cockscombs ...

. Eventually the term "nage" itself came to refer to a broth which, while light, is strong enough to be served as a light sauce with the dish itself, unlike a court-bouillon which is omitted. Additional ingredients such as tomatoes are sometimes added.

References

Food ingredients {{ingredient-stub

Background

See also

References