Mardi Gras basics Part 2: Holy Trinity

by Joanne Lutynec, Posted Feb 18th 2007 @ 11:27AM

Most every country or region uses a trinity, or a basic mix of flavors (generally vegetable-based, spice-based, or a combination of the two) for a majority of their signature dishes which include soups, stews, sauces, or variations thereof. Though we have touched on this a few times in the past, I think it bears repeating - especially as to why these flavor combinations are so important for regional dishes.

The Szechuan trinity is a mix of ginger, green garlic, and chili peppers. In Lebanese cuisine, it is a combination of garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. Italy has two - the first is tomato, garlic and basil, which is obviously used for anything with a tomato-based flavor, and the second trinity is olive oil, onion and garlic which is used for just about everything else. In France they use a combination of onions, carrots, and celery called Mirepoix. Admittedly, I make a fresh batch of Mirepoix twice a week and simply keep it in a Zip-lock bag in the fridge because I use it so often.

The vegetable combination of onions, bell peppers, and celery (as shown in the above picture) is known as the Holy Trinity when it comes to Cajun or Creole cooking. A large number of their dishes (gumbo, jambalaya, étouffée, to name a few) are based around these three ingredients. Why? Every dish needs a foundation, not only in substance, but also in flavor, so the other ingredients you add have something to build upon. When you saute these three ingredients together they lose their individuality, but instead create a single unique flavor that is consistent throughout many of the dishes in Cajun and Creole cooking.

Filed Under: Ingredients
Tags: cajun, creole, cuisine, holy trinity, HolyTrinity, mardi gras, mirepoix, southern states, spices, vegetables