Blanquette de Veau à l'Ancienne

⏱ 150 min · Serves 6

The great white stew of French home cooking: veal simmered gently in an aromatic broth until spoon-tender, then bathed in a silky velouté enriched with cream and egg yolk, with buttery pearl onions and mushrooms. Serve with rice or steamed potatoes and a squeeze of lemon to keep it bright.

Per serving: 610 kcal · 50.0g protein · 15.0g carbs · 39.0g fat

Ingredients

• 1.4 kg veal shoulder or breast, cut into 5cm chunks
• 1 onion, halved, studded with 2 cloves
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into thick coins
• 1 leek, white part, halved
• 1 celery stick
• 1 bouquet garni (thyme, bay, parsley stalks)
• 1.5 litres cold water or light chicken stock
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 250 g button mushrooms, halved if large
• 250 g pearl or baby onions, peeled
• 60 g unsalted butter
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 50 g plain flour
• 150 ml double cream
• 2 egg yolks
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Freshly ground white pepper
• Small handful parsley, chopped
• Rice or steamed new potatoes, to serve

Method

1. Put the veal in a large pot, cover with cold water, bring slowly to the boil and simmer 3 minutes. Drain and rinse the meat and pot well — this is what keeps the blanquette pale and clean-tasting.
2. Return the veal to the pot with the clove-studded onion, carrots, leek, celery, bouquet garni and salt. Add the 1.5 litres cold water or stock, bring to a bare simmer and skim any foam.
3. Cover partly and simmer very gently for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, until the veal is tender but not falling apart. Never let it boil.
4. Meanwhile, put the pearl onions in a small pan with 20 g butter, the sugar, a pinch of salt and enough water to half cover. Simmer until tender and glazed, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
5. In a frying pan, melt 15 g butter and cook the mushrooms over medium heat with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon for 5 minutes, until just tender and still pale. Set aside.
6. Lift the veal out with a slotted spoon; keep the carrots and discard the other aromatics. Strain the broth and measure out 1 litre.
7. In a clean pan, melt the remaining 25 g butter, stir in the flour and cook 2 minutes without colouring. Whisk in the hot broth a ladle at a time until smooth, then simmer 10 minutes, stirring, until it coats a spoon.
8. Whisk the cream and egg yolks together in a bowl. Temper with a ladle of hot sauce, then pour back into the pan off the heat, stirring. Warm gently — do not boil — until glossy and thickened.
9. Season with white pepper, salt and lemon juice to taste. Return the veal, carrots, onions and mushrooms to the sauce and warm through for 5 minutes.
10. Scatter with parsley and serve with rice or steamed potatoes.