Blanquette de Veau Recipe (French Veal Stew)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
25 mins
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Cook Time
2 hrs
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Total Time
2 hrs 25 mins
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Servings
6 people
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Calories
696 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
French
Blanquette de Veau Recipe (French Veal Stew)
Description
Blanquette de Veau Recipe combines 3 pounds of veal breast and shoulder cut into chunks simmered gently in a broth of white wine, onion studded with cloves, leek, carrot, and bouquet garni. The slow simmering extracts flavor and tenderizes the meat over about two hours. Near the end, mushrooms are sautéed to concentrate their flavor before adding butter and pearl onions with lemon juice as a garnish.
The stew is finished by removing herbs, lifting the meat and vegetables into a serving dish, and topping with the mushroom and onion garnish. A sauce is typically made with crème fraîche, egg yolks, nutmeg, and lemon zest to add richness and balanced brightness without overpowering the meat. The result is a lightly flavored yet comforting veal stew with a creamy texture and fresh undertones.
This dish pairs well with fluffy basmati or other long-grain rice to capture the juices. It holds well for reheating, and the recipe can be prepared a day ahead, making it a practical choice for dinner parties or leisurely weekend meals. The option to freeze without the yolk sauce adds convenience for future use.
Ingredients
- 1.4 kg (3lb) veal mixture of breast & shoulder, cut into chunks, trimmed of fat
- 1 large onion
- 3 cloves
- bouquet garni 1 bay leaf, 1 large sprig thyme, 3 sprigs parsley
- 1 leek white part only, sliced
- 2 carrot cut into chunks, large
- 250 ml (9 floz/ 1 cup) white wine
- 300 g (11oz/3½ cups) button mushrooms about 24, halved or quartered depending on size, aka champignons de Paris
- 18 pearl onions or spring onions (or use frozen, small
- 25 g (1oz/2 tbsp) butter
- 150 g (5.5 oz/ ⅔ cup) crème fraîche or Greek yoghurt
- 3 egg large yolks
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
- lemon unwaxed/organic, grated zest and juice of half
- ½ teaspoon fleur de sel to taste, plus few turns of peppermill
Instructions
- Stud the onion with the cloves. Place the veal in a casserole dish and add the carrots, onion, leek and bouquet garni. Pour in the wine and add enough water just to cover the meat and vegetables. Bring to the boil, skimming the surface for the first 10 minutes of any scum. Cover and simmer gently for about 2 hours.
- About 45 minutes before the end of cooking, prepare the garnish. Wash mushrooms, pat dry and cut into halves or quarters, depending on their size. TIP: Fry mushrooms at first without any oil or butter in a non-stick pan until they have given out all of their juices. This concentrates the flavour. THEN add the butter and fry the onions. When cooked, add the lemon juice and set aside.
- Lift the lid of the casserole dish and smell these flavours! Discard the bay leaf and herb stalks. Remove the meat and vegetables with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large serving dish, adding the mushrooms and pearl onions. Set aside and keep warm in a cool-moderate oven while preparing the sauce.
- Boil the cooking liquid over a high heat until reduced. Meanwhile, in a bowl, hand-whisk the crème fraîche, lemon zest and juice, yolks, grated nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper. Blend in 3 tablespoons of the hot stock then quickly whisk in the yolk mixture back into the stock. Whisk constantly until thickened but do not boil (it will reduce its subtle flavours). Whisk until the sauce is silky smooth then pour over the meat and vegetables.
Notes
- The recipe is traditionally served with fluffy basmati or long-grain rice to absorb the sauce.
- This dish can be made a day in advance, preparing the meat and vegetables ahead and finishing the sauce and garnish on the day you serve.
- Removing the egg yolk sauce before freezing preserves texture; reheat and add sauce fresh after thawing.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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