Blanquette de Veau (French Veal Stew in Creamy Egg-Lemon Sauce)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 100 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 9
About this dish
Blanquette de veau is a French white stew in which veal shoulder is first blanched in cold water to remove impurities and then gently simmered in fresh water with carrot, onion, and a bouquet garni for over an hour until the meat becomes completely tender.
Read more
The name comes from blanc -- white -- and the defining rule of the dish is that the meat must never be browned at any stage; searing would change both the color and the delicate character of the final stew. The braising liquid is used to build the sauce: a butter-flour roux is whisked smooth, the warm broth is added gradually, and the finished veloute is enriched with a liaison of heavy cream and egg yolks to create a velvety coating. Once the yolks go in, the sauce must not boil -- even a brief simmer will cause the eggs to curdle, breaking the emulsion in a way that is difficult to repair. A small squeeze of lemon at the end brightens the richness of the cream, and button mushrooms sauteed separately in butter add an earthy note when folded in just before serving. The dish has been a staple of French bourgeois cooking since the 18th century, originally developed as a way to make the most of secondary cuts without the demanding technique required for braises like boeuf bourguignon.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Control
Cut 700g veal shoulder into 5cm pieces.
Place in a pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 3 minutes while foam and impurities rise to the surface, then discard the water and rinse the veal under cold running water.
- 2Control
Return the rinsed veal to the pot and cover it with fresh water.
Add 100g carrot and 120g onion in large pieces. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, skim the foam, lower the heat, and cook gently for 60 minutes until a fork enters the meat easily.
- 3Control
Quarter 180g mushrooms.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a separate pan over medium heat, cook the mushrooms for 2 to 3 minutes until golden, and remove them.
- 4Control
Add 1 tablespoon flour to the pan used for the mushrooms and cook over low heat for 2 minutes.
Gradually whisk in the veal cooking liquid to make a smooth, thickened sauce.
- 5Season
Whisk together 120ml heavy cream and 2 egg yolks in a small bowl.
Temper the mixture by slowly ladling one spoonful of hot sauce into the cream bowl while stirring, then pour the tempered mixture slowly back into the sauce pot while stirring. Do not let the sauce boil after this point.
- 6Finish
Drain the cooked veal and add it to the sauce with the sautéed mushrooms.
Warm over low heat for 5 minutes, then stir in 2 teaspoons lemon juice and serve at once.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- French Blanquette de Veau keeps veal tender by simmering it in an ivory-white egg and lemon sauce.
- Finish cue
- Gradually whisk in the veal cooking liquid to make a smooth, thickened sauce.
- Avoid this
- Do not boil after adding yolks or the sauce may split.
- Storage and reheating
- The flavor deepens if rested overnight and reheated gently.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
100min, 9 ingredients
Category median
40min, 8 ingredients
Based on 168 recipes
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