Blanquette de Veau

Blanquette de Veau

A classic French veal stew where the meat is gently poached (never browned) and bound in a silky white sauce enriched with cream, egg yolk, and lemon, studded with mushrooms and pearl onions.

Prep

25 min

Cook

110 min

Total

135 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1.2 kg (2½ lb) veal shoulder or breast, cut into 5 cm pieces, a mix of lean and a little bone-in gives the best flavor
• •1 large carrot
• •1 medium onion, stuck with 2 cloves
• •1 stalk celery
• •1 bouquet bouquet garni (parsley stems, thyme, 1 bay leaf)
• •1.2 L (5 cups) cold water, or enough to just cover the meat
• •12 g (4 tsp) kosher salt
• •6 whole black peppercorns
• •250 g (½ lb) pearl onions (or small boiling onions)
• •250 g (½ lb) small button or cremini mushrooms, trimmed
• •30 g (2 Tbsp) unsalted butter
• •30 g (¼ cup) all-purpose flour
• •120 ml (½ cup) heavy whipping cream
• •2 large egg yolks
• •1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
• •fine salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste, white pepper is traditional
• •2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, for finishing

Steps

1. 1 Place the veal in a wide pot and cover with the cold water (1.2 L). Bring slowly to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Skim off the gray foam that rises to the surface for the first 5–7 minutes; this keeps the cooking liquid clear.
2. 2 Add the carrot, cloved onion, celery, bouquet garni, 12 g kosher salt, and peppercorns. Return to a bare simmer (small bubbles breaking lazily on one side), cover partially, and poach gently for 75–90 minutes. The veal is done when a knife slides easily into the largest piece and the internal temperature reads at least 71 °C / 160 °F. Do not boil — hard boiling toughens veal.
3. 3 While the veal cooks, prepare the garnishes: bring a small saucepan of salted water to a boil, add the pearl onions, and blanch 2 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, then slip off the skins and trim the root ends. Set aside.
4. 4 In a small skillet over medium heat, melt 15 g of the butter. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and sauté over medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes until they release their liquid and turn lightly golden. Set aside with the onions.
5. 5 When the veal is tender, strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve into a large measuring cup or bowl — you should have about 750 ml / 3 cups; top up with water if short. Discard the aromatic vegetables. Remove the veal with a slotted spoon and keep warm.
6. 6 Make the velouté base: in a clean saucepan, melt the remaining 15 g butter over medium-low heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste — the mixture should be pale and bubbling, not browned (this keeps the sauce white, as the dish's name demands).
7. 7 Slowly whisk in the warm veal stock, a little at a time at first, then the rest, until smooth. Simmer gently for 8–10 minutes to thicken slightly. Season lightly with salt and white pepper.
8. 8 Prepare the liaison: in a bowl, whisk the 2 egg yolks with the 120 ml cream and the 1 Tbsp lemon juice until smooth. Slowly whisk about 250 ml of the hot sauce into the yolk mixture to temper it (this prevents curdling), then pour the mixture back into the saucepan.
9. 9 Add the poached veal, pearl onions, and mushrooms to the sauce. Warm very gently over low heat for 3–4 minutes — do not let it boil, or the yolks will curdle. Taste and adjust salt and add a few more drops of lemon if the sauce needs lift.
10. 10 Serve immediately in warmed shallow bowls, sprinkled with chopped parsley. Traditionally accompanied by boiled rice, buttered egg noodles, or steamed potatoes.