Blanquette de Veau

Ingredients

• 1.2 kgveal shoulder or breast — cut into large cubes
• 2carrots — chunked
• 1leek — sliced
• 1onion — studded with 2 cloves
• 200 gbutton mushrooms
• 100 gpearl onions
• 50 gbutter
• 40 gflour
• 2egg yolks
• 150 mlheavy cream
• 1 Lveal or chicken stock
• 1bouquet garni
• to tastefine salt and white pepper

Method

1. Begin by cutting the 1.2 kg veal shoulder or breast into large, even pieces, about 5 cm each. Season them generously with fine salt and white pepper. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat and melt 25 g of the butter. Brown the veal pieces in batches, ensuring each piece develops a deep golden color on all sides. Remove the browned veal and set aside.
2. Peel and slice the 2 carrots into rounds, and clean and slice the leek into thin rings. Peel and finely chop the onion. Add the remaining 25 g of butter to the same pot, reduce the heat to medium, and add the chopped onion, carrots, and leek. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes. This step will help lift the fond from the bottom of the pot, adding depth to the dish.
3. Return the browned veal to the pot with the vegetables. Pour in 1 L of veal or chicken stock and add the bouquet garni. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Allow it to cook slowly until the veal is tender, which should be when a fork easily pierces the meat, and the stock has reduced slightly, becoming more flavorful.
4. While the veal is cooking, prepare the mushrooms and pearl onions. Clean and slice the 200 g button mushrooms. In a separate pan, melt a small knob of butter over medium heat and sauté the mushrooms until they are golden and have released their moisture. Add the 100 g pearl onions and cook until they are tender and lightly caramelized. Set aside.
5. Once the veal is tender, remove the bouquet garni from the pot. In a small bowl, whisk together 40 g of flour with a bit of the hot cooking liquid to form a smooth paste. Stir this paste back into the pot to thicken the sauce slightly. Let it cook for a few more minutes, stirring gently, until the sauce reaches a creamy consistency.
6. In a separate bowl, beat 2 egg yolks with 150 ml heavy cream. Slowly add a ladleful of the hot sauce from the pot to the egg and cream mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Gradually stir this mixture back into the pot, ensuring the heat is low to prevent curdling. The sauce should become rich and velvety.
7. Add the sautéed mushrooms and pearl onions to the pot, stirring them gently into the sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more fine salt and white pepper if necessary. Allow the dish to rest for a few minutes off the heat, letting the flavors meld together. Serve the Blanquette de Veau hot, traditionally accompanied by rice or steamed potatoes, to soak up the luscious sauce.