The Blanquette de Veau, or the fantastic white veal stew from once upon a time

by Pam, Sydney (Australia)

After the controversial Choucroute, now let me introduce you to a dish that is French only. I’d even say quintessentially French. The Blanquette de Veau (or creamy white veal stew).
The only whisper of its name resonates in French minds with mouthwatering sensations of bliss. This dish could be served just about anytime, any season, any occasions, as a homely dinner or as main dish at grand restaurant. Yes! This dish is truly extraordinary!
Indeed, originally from the Lyon region, the Blanquette is probably one of the most ancient French dish around today. It is one of the few dishes recorded to have been served in Parisian restaurants at the time of the Revolution, over 200 years ago! And it’s still going…

Here is my own recipe for you to find out why the Blanquette has such a central place in French cuisine.

• Servings: 4
• Preparation times:
  • Active: 1 hour
  • Cooking: 1.5 hours
• Ingredients:
  • 500g of veal, preferably shoulder meat., diced in approx 3cm x 3cm x 3cm cubes
  • 2 small carrots
  • 1 branch of celery
  • 150g of small button mushrooms
  • 1 small leak
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 100ml of Chardonay wine
  • 20g of butter
  • 1 full tbsp of plain flour
  • 1 egg, yolk only
  • 100ml of thick cream
  • half a lemon
  • 4 bay leaves
  • mixed herbs
  • half a bunch of fresh parsley
  • salt, pepper
• Steps:
  1. Add the veal in a big pot and simmer in cold water for 30 minutes.
  2. In the meantime, chop the onion, leak and celery thinly.
  3. Cut the parsley branches away from the leaves, chop the leaves thingly.
  4. Quarter the carrots (cut length-wise and accross length-wise) and slice approx 5cm long.
  5. Clean the mushrooms to get rid of the remaining earth.
  6. Bring the water to high heat and leave the veal to boil for approx 10 mins. This is to get rid of the impurities and foam that ay come out. After that, throw away the water and rince the meat.
  7. Add all vegetables in the pot, except the mushrooms. Also add the branches of parsley, not the leaves, clove of garlic, bay leaves, mixed herbs, and veal.
  8. Add the wine and some water until the food is all covered.
  9. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  10. Put the mix to low boiling temperature and leave it for 1 hour over low heat. The pot should be covered.
  11. After 1 hour, add the mushroom in the mix.
  12. In another pot, melt the butter under low heat.
  13. Once the butter is melted, add the flour and mix to create the sauce base.
  14. When the flour has become an homogenous mix with the buttern, add in 3 laddles of the veal boiling stock. Keep mixing.
  15. When the mix is homogenous, remove from heat.
  16. In a large bowl, mix the egg yolk with the cream and juice of squeezed lemon. Use a whip to ensure it’s mixed well.
  17. Slowly add the sauce mix into the bowl. Keep whipping. When all sauce is added, leave the mix to rest.
  18. Add the veal and vegetables in a large bowl. Remove the herbs, bay leaves, branches of parsley and clove of garlic.
  19. Add the white sauce to the veal and vegetables and stir to mix.
  20. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley leaves before serving.
• Notes:
  • Serve with rice or pasta.
  • In this recipe, the vegetables are fully part of the meal. However, if you don’t like any of them, you can remove them at the end. In this case don’t chop or cut and instead leave as a big piece in the stock so it’s easier to take out.
  • For a more meaty effet, you can also use veal osso bucco (see picture). In this case, have 4 bone cuts, or 600g.