Mirepoix
Mirepoix is the French name (from the town) for a combination of onions, carrots and celery commonly used to flavor soups , stews and sauces, but it is not the only such combination, even in the French culinary repertoire.Other combinations include onions, carrots, celery (both Pascal and celeriac), leekss, parsnips, garlic, diced ham, tomatoes, shallots, mushrooms, peppers and chilis, and ginger are among the ingredients commonly referred to as aromatics.
They may be used in various combinations, as dictated by the cuisine and the dish itself.
Traditionally, the ratio for mirepoix is 2:1:1, onions, celery, carrots. Or, 50% onion, 25% carrot, and 25% celery. The ratio for mirepoix to bones for stock is 10 pounds of bones to 1 pound of mirepoix. When making a white stock, or fond blanc, mushrooms or leeks are used instead of carrots.
Mirepoix is also an historic town in the Ariège département, in the south of France, between Carcassonne and Pamiers.