decoct

• Verbe désuet ou littéraire signifiant extraire la substance ou les principes actifs d'un corps par ébullition ou chauffage, ou préparer une décoction.

An obsolete verb meaning to extract the essence or active principles from a substance by boiling or heating, or to prepare a decoction.

1. Extract by boilingC2formalculinary

   To extract the essence or active principles from a substance by boiling it in water.

   Extraire par décoction

   • The herbalist decocted the roots to make a medicinal tea.
   • To decoct the bark, you must simmer it for at least an hour.
   • The recipe instructs you to decoct the spices in water for thirty minutes.

   Synonymesboilboil downbrewextractsimmer

2. Boil downC2formalculinary

   To cook something until very little liquid remains, concentrating the flavor or substance.

   Réduire (par cuisson)

   • The chef decocted the sauce until it became a thick glaze.
   • You should decoct the broth to intensify its flavor.
   • The mixture was decocted over low heat until it reduced by half.

   Synonymesboil downconcentratecondensereduce

3. Steep in hot waterC2formalculinary

   To soak or steep something in hot water to extract its properties.

   Faire infuser dans l'eau chaude

   • She decocted the tea leaves in boiling water for five minutes.
   • The instructions say to decoct the herbs in hot water, not cold.
   • He decocted the dried flowers to create a fragrant infusion.

   Synonymesbrewinfusemaceratesoaksteep