In cooking, a matignon is a Mirepoix (cuisine), mirepoix in which the ingredients are minced rather than diced, and more flavorings added. Matignon, unlike mirepoix, is not a part of the food preparation itself, but is always served at the table.

Ingredients

Matignon is a combination of minced vegetables, usually onion (and/or leek), celery, and carrot, with thyme and bay leaf, sautéed in butter over a low flame until softened and translucent ("melted" but not browned), seasoned to taste with a pinch of salt (and a pinch of sugar, if needed), and finished with a dash of white wine or Madeira wine, Madeira. The vegetarian version is referred to as ''maigre'' ("lean"). When ham or bacon is added, it is called ''gras'' ("fat," i.e., containing meat).The terms ''maigre'' and ''gras'' refer to the traditional Roman Catholic prescription of days for abstaining from meat during Lent and other Fasting and abstinence in the Roman Catholic Church, fast days. Since the seventeenth century, recipe books in France had been organized so readers could plan meals in accordance with the liturgical calendar. Se
Sean Takats, ''The Expert Cook in Enlightenment France'' (Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press) p. 110.
/ref> Frequently the vegetables serve as a bed on which to cook meat, poultry, and fish dishes, or as a stuffing, but sometimes the matignon is served as a separate side dish in its own right.

Notes

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External links

French cuisine Culinary terminology