Blanquette de Veau

Growing up in a French household in Québec, I obviously had many dishes made by my parents and family that came over from the old country 🚢. Most people would have never heard of them until Julia Child introduced them to North America’s Anglophones. Many recipes come to mind like Boeuf Bourguignon, Bouillabaisse, Cassoulet, Coq au Vin, Foie gras, Croque-monsieur, Gougères, Soupe à l’Oignon, Salade Niçoise, and many more including this one… Blanquette de Veau!
 
What is it, you ask?
Blanquette de Veau is a veal stew but not like any others. The term “blanquette” is a derivative of the word “white” which refers to the color of the sauce. It can be used with other white meats such as poultry, pork, rabbit, and so on but veal is the “stand up” choice of protein for this particular preparation as well as a culinary reference in French gastronomy.
 
To achieve a white sauce when using red meat, we have to boil it. That’s right! By boiling the meat quickly, it removes the dark color. Also during the cooking process, nothing is browned including the roux and the butter 🧈. Other light colored ingredients are added to the dish like pearl onions and mushrooms. However, I like to add carrots to the Blanquette de Veau. Although it’s not traditional, it gives another level to the dish. When seasoning, white pepper is used instead of black to keep the sauce white.
 
There’s a step I would like to mention. In the video, I show you a quick and easy way to peel pearl onions. After this step is done, we caramelize the onions in water, butter, sugar and wine. This term in French is called “glacé à blanc”. Technically, the mixture is covered with a parchment paper cut to the size of the saucepan with a small hole cut in the middle. The end results are beautiful, giving a nice shine to the onions 🧅.
 
This is exceptionally delicious! As you’ve figured out, it’s all about the sauce which is rich and packed with flavor! Back in the 18th century, it was very “bourgeois” to make Blanquette de Veau. The dish has evolved since then and is referred to as the oldest recipe of French cuisine.
 
This is a dish you want to make for the ones you truly love. Why? There are a lot of steps involved and it’s a lot of work. With Mother’s Day coming up this weekend, I wanted to bring a recipe that my mother enjoys a lot and Blanquette de Veau was my choice even though she does have a long list of “favorites”. She’s been enjoying this dish since she was a little girl when my grandmother 👵 was making it!
 
This Blanquette de Veau is an elegant dish perfect for special occasions including the Holidays. This classic “ragoût” is so aromatic and a great choice when you want to spoil a loved one.
Bon Appétit!🍽
 
Here are several more French recipes for you to enjoy…😀
– Mille-Feuille
– Quiche Lorraine
– French Baguettes
– Coquilles St Jacques
– Creamy French Eggs
– Salade Lyonnaise ~ Lyonnaise Salad
– Escargots à la Bourguignonne
and for even more veal 🐂 recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Beef
 

 
Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel 📽 by clicking on this link… Club Foody YouTube
 

Blanquette de Veau

With a creamy and rich sauce, this is the perfect French dish to serve for any special occasion or during the Holidays.

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Servings 4 servings

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs

Passive time 0 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs

Ingredients

  

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BOUQUET GARNI

• 2 large parsley stalks tips & tricks
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 large bay leaf
• 3 large cloves garlic, peeled and halved
• 1 tsp. whole peppercorns (I always use mixed peppercorns)

VEAL

• 1 large white onion, peeled
• 4 whole cloves
• 2 1/2 lbs. veal shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 medium carrots, halved and quartered
• 2 large celery ribs, halved in 3-inch pieces tips & tricks
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp. white pepper, or to taste

MUSHROOMS

• 3 tbsp. butter tips & tricks
• 1 tbsp. bacon fat
• 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice tips & tricks
• 1/4 cup dry white wine such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon or Pinot Grigio
• 2 cups button mushrooms, washed and sliced
• 1 pinch ground Himalayan sea salt, or to taste

PEARL ONIONS

• 4 ounces (112 g) pearl onions tips & tricks
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1 pinch ground Himalayan pink salt, or to taste

SAUCE

• 3 tbsp. butter tips & tricks
• 3 tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cold 35% heavy cream
• 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste tips & tricks
• 1/8 tsp. white pepper, or to taste
• ground Himalayan pink salt, to taste
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch (mixed with 1/2 cup cold water)
• 1 tsp. fresh chopped parsley, for garnish tips & tricks

Directions

 

BOUQUET GARNI

• Combine all the ingredients together in a cheesecloth. Tie it up and set aside.

VEAL

• Place the meat in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and blanch for 3 minutes; skim off any foam on top. Drain the meat, rinse quickly under cold water and transfer the cubes to a Dutch oven.
• Stud the white onion with cloves and add it to the meat along with carrots, celery and the bouquet garni. Cover with chicken broth and season with white pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer gently for 1 ½ hours or until the meat is tender.
• When the veal is cooked, remove the onion, bouquet garni and celery; discard them. Set the carrots aside and transfer the meat to a bowl.
• Strain the broth through a fine sieve over a large bowl; discard any solids. The amount of the broth needed for the recipe is 4 cups. If there’s not enough, top up with some water.

MUSHROOMS

• While the veal mixture is simmering, boil the mushrooms. In a medium saucepan on medium heat, add butter, bacon fat and lemon juice. When it starts simmering, add white wine and mushrooms. Stir to coat the mushrooms, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl using a slotted spoon, and pour the remaining liquid into the Dutch oven; stir.

PEARL ONIONS

• In a small pot with boiling water, add the pearl onions with skin on and boil for 3 minutes. Drain them in a colander and rinse under cold water. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and set aside.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, add butter and sugar (glacé à blanc). Stir, add the peeled onions and pour in enough cold water to cover them; add a small pinch of salt. When it starts simmering, cover, reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 20 minutes or until the tip of a sharp knife goes in easily.
• Transfer the pearl onions to a bowl and set aside; discard the liquid.

SAUCE

• Wash the Dutch oven and return it to the stove over medium heat; add butter. When melted, add flour and whisk until the flour is cooked, about 1 ½ minutes.
• Whisking constantly, pour in 2 cups of the reserved broth. Add the remaining broth, heavy cream and lemon juice. Whisk until the sauce has reduced by half. Taste and adjust seasoning before adding the meat, mushrooms and pearl onions. Stir to combine and cook until the ingredients are heated through.
• The blanquette can be served as is or add the carrots. If the vegetable is added, cut it into the same size pieces as the veal. Heat the carrots through for 1 minute before pouring in the cornstarch mixture; stir until the sauce thickens, about 45 seconds.
• Before serving it over rice or noodles, garnish with finely chopped parsley.

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