Blanquette of Veal
Submitted by dieu_princesse
Blanquette of veal is a classic French white stew with tender veal, cauliflower, and a silky sour cream and lemon sauce. Bistro comfort served over rice or noodles.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
35 minREADY
45 minBlanquette de veau is the old-school French white stew that defines bistro cooking. Unlike a brown beef stew where meat is seared first, this one starts in cold chicken broth and comes up slow to a simmer, which keeps the veal pale and tender. The broth never caramelizes, so the finished sauce stays ivory-white and velvety. That gentle treatment is what sets this dish apart from every other meat stew.
The sauce builds through a classic blond roux technique: equal parts butter and flour whisked over low heat, then enriched by whisking in the strained cooking liquid. Cauliflower goes in to finish cooking in that thickened broth, soaking up flavor while staying firm. The final move is the critical one, tempering sour cream with hot sauce before folding it back in. Do it off the heat or the cream will break and go grainy.
Chef Tips
- Skim aggressively in the first 15 minutes of simmering. That gray scum carries off-flavors and clouds the final sauce.
- Do not boil after adding sour cream. Boiling dairy cultures causes them to curdle and split, and there is no coming back from that.
- Tie celery, carrot, and onion in a cheesecloth bundle for easier fishing out, since you’re discarding them anyway.
- Use the freshest nutmeg you can grate. Preground loses its bloom fast and this dish leans on its warmth.
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
COMBINE THE VEAL AND 4 CUPS broth in a 5-quart heavy pot over high heat on top of the stove.
Cover and bring to a boil.
Remove any scum that comes to the top of the pot, then add the remaining 2 cups broth, the onion, celery, carrot, salt, pepper, nutmeg and lemon.
Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 1¼ hours, or until meat is just tender.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium pot over low heat, and whisk in the flour.
Cook, stirring, 2 minutes and remove from heat.
Set aside until the meat is cooked.
When the meat is done, remove it from the liquid, using a slotted spoon.
Pick off and discard any vegetables that cling to the veal.
Replace the butter-flour mixture over medium-low heat on the stove and strain the cooking liquid into it, whisking vigorously.
Discard vegetables in the strainer.
Cook, stirring, until mixture thickens, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add cauliflower and continue to cook an additional 15 minutes.
Skim off any residue that rises to the surface.
When it’s time to serve dinner, add the veal to the cauliflower and sauce and heat through.
Place sour cream in a mixing bowl, whisk in ½ cup of the hot sauce, then add this to the stew.
Do not reheat the sauce after adding sour cream.
Pour the stew into a serving dish and accompany with rice pilaf or buttered noodles.
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