Veal blanquette (white stew)
============================ 2019-01-16 *


Excellent reference: Veal Blanquette
and La Blanquette de veau - Philippe Etchebest

Comment: In the "blanquette" everything is white, that's why the meat is not first seared, and we do not use lardons. For carrots, it's an option to include them in the sauce, and it gives a touch of color (and also it's healthy). Depending on the pan and the volume of meat, it will take more or less water to cover the meat for cooking. At the end, this will result in more or less liquid and maybe too much sauce. So it seems that at mid-cooking, when salting the water, we can probably remove the lid of the pan to let reduce a little.
A second opportunity is when making the sauce at the end. Only use half of the broth on the roux, boil it and judge the consistency. Possibly add a little broth for a creamy consistency of the sauce, not forgetting that we will still add 2 dl of cream.
An option is to remplace the veal by chicken.

4 servings

ingredients:
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1 kg of veal (neck, shoulder, tendron) cut into pieces of 3 to 6 cm on the side.
300 g pearl onions (frozen, but preferably fresh)
300 g small white mushrooms
1 bouquet garni (2 bay leaves, 1 small bunch of parsley (*), 2 branches of thyme)
(*) reserve half of the leaves for chopping and sprinkling on the plates during the service.
1 onion planted with 2 cloves.
2 garlic cloves peeled crushed
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 4 and then in 2.
1+ celery stalk (cut into pieces)
1 white or leek green (if green, tied with a kitchen string)
4 dl white wine
White pepper
50 g flour
50 g butter
200 ml cream (35% MF)
Salt


Preparation:
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If the onions are fresh: dip them a few minutes in a bowl with hot tap water and peel them.

Cooking the veal: Place the cubed veal in a pot with a lid. Cover with water and bring to a boil, and let it boil ~1 mn, while skimming. Add wine, bouquet garni, onion, garlic, carrots, leek, pepper, not yet salt and reduce heat to simmer covered. Cook for ~2 h, until the veal is cooked (fork tender). After 1 hour of cooking, salt enough. Remove the lid for the second hour cooking (if needed - see texte).

Meanwhile, prepare the onions: peel them, place them in a saucepan on one layer and cover with water, adding a pinch of salt and 2 pinches of sugar. Add a knob of butter, and simmer half-covered until all the water is evaporated. Be careful not to color the onions. Reserve.

Cut the mushrooms into 4 or 6 depending on the size. In a small pan, put a knob of butter, and sauté the mushrooms, with a pinch of salt. Reserve.

When the veal is cooked:
Sieve the meat and vegetables to keep the broth.
Separate the meat and carrots, and set aside.
Discard the vegetables and the bouquet garni.

Sauce: in the same pot, melt 50 g butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in an equivalent quantity of flour (roux). Cook over medium heat while stirring for 1 to 2 minutes, then stir in half of the broth, beating constantly. Possibly add more broth to obtain a creamy sauce. Add the cream and let it boil to reduce a little more. When the sauce is ready, add the veal, carrots, small onions and mushrooms. Mix. Simmer for a few minutes to warm up. Adjust seasoning.

Serve with white rice and sprinkle with chopped parsley.