Did you ever make cut-out paper dolls? Well we’ll show you that making a cartouche is like cutting out paper dolls. Cartouches are simply a disposable cover used for braising yummy sauces and ragouts. We’ll be making our cartouche with parchment (baking) paper that we’ll cut to fit your braising pot.
Making a Cartouche – Fast and Simple
So, let’s get cracking! Grab a piece of parchment (baking) paper that’s as at least as long as it is wide. Also, get out those kitchen shears. We’ll be using the lid of the pot you’ll be braising in as a guide for cutting.
Take the paper and fold it in half. Crease the paper firmly.
Fold the paper over once again, creasing firmly. You should now have a shape that resembles a square.
Next, fold the square paper over forming a triangle.
Now, repeat folding it down the length, making it into a narrow triangle. Crease the fold firmly.
Continue folding as above, making the cartouche appear like an arrow.
Finally, we’re at the last fold which is the most difficult fold. We’ll now have a thin paper arrow. Hold both ends of the paper while proceeding to the next step.
Let’s cut out our cartouche! Place the narrowest end of the folded paper to the center of pot lid. Now, the trick to making the cartouche to fit the pot is to cut the paper about a pinkie finger length longer than the edge of the pot lid seal. Chop, chop make that paper doll!
Unfold the paper after you cut and “Voila!” a perfect circular cartouche.
Just scrunch up the cartouche, then oil and wet it prior to using.
Happy Cartouche Making!
PS: You can also see how easy it is to make a cartouche here at Jamie Oliver’s “Food Tube”.
[…] The real hero in this dish is the whole juniper berries, which are available from herb merchants or your local markets. In the US and UK, you can order via Amazon. In Canada, IGA usually stocks them. For our friends Down Under, try “The Melbourne Food Depot“. Be sure and mash them up well with a mortar and pestle or the flat side of the knife. You want them broken down into very small bits. In the recipe you’ll also notice we recommend using a cartouche, which we found to really add depth to the flavor. Cartouches are simply a disposable cover used for braising yummy sauces and ragouts and you can learn how to make them in our post Cartouche making, Simple and Easy. […]