Prep time
30 mins
Total cook time
2h 15mins
Serves
4-5 people
Level
Medium
About the recipe
French blanquette de veau is a classic tender veal stew that embodies the heart of traditional French cuisine. Gently simmered to perfection, the veal becomes melt-in-your-mouth soft while soaking up rich, comforting flavors.
The dish is finished in a delicate wine sauce, creamy and subtle, designed to enhance rather than overpower the meat. Elegant yet deeply comforting, this timeless recipe is often served for family meals and special gatherings alike.
Whether you’re exploring French cooking or revisiting a beloved classic, this blanquette de veau is a true celebration of slow, soulful cooking.
Ingredients
Meat and Veggies
● 2.2 pounds (1 kg) veal cut in larger chunky bite size pieces
● 1 liter of chicken or vegetable broth (or 1 bouillon cube plus 1 liter of water)
● 3 large carrots pealed and cut in 1 inch (2.5 cm) chunks
● 1 leek (or white onion) cut largely
● 1 white onion cut in half
● About 3 cups (200 g) of white mushrooms cut in quarters
Other
• Cooking oil
• ¾ cup total (180 mL) white wine plus some for drinking with the meal if desired
• White rice
Sauce
• 4 tablespoons (60 g) butter
• 4 tablespoons (30 g) of flour
• Juice from ½ lemon
• ¾+ cups (200 g/20 cl) heavy cream (crème entière)
Seasoning
• 4 branches of fresh thyme(or 1.5 tablespoons of dried thyme)
• 2 bay leaves
• Ground pepper
• Salt
Preparation
PART 1: MEAT PREP
1. Cut the meal, rinse it in a strainer to clean it, and place it in a heavy bottom pot with a lid that can be used for slow cooking.
2. If using a bouillon cube cover the meat with water so that it covers about 2 inches (5 cm) over the top of the meat, then add the bouillon cube.
3. If using broth, cover the meat with the broth and then add water so that it covers about 2 inches (5 cm) over the top of the meat
4. Cook for 20 minutes on medium heat.
5. The impurities (blood, coagulants) will rise to the top. Take a spoon or a slotted spoon and remove the impurities. This may have to be done if more impurities remain after another 10 minutes of cooking time.
PART 2: BOUILLON PREP
1. Add the carrots, leak/onion, onion cut in half (for broth seasoning), thyme, bay leaves, 2 tablespoons of salt, and some pepper.
2. Cook all together for 2 hours or until the meat is very soft, tender, and juicy. The ingredients should not boil but slightly simmer as this is a slow cook. If in doubt, turn the heat lower and it will simply take a little longer to cook. Check in occasionally around 1.5 hours to see how the meat is progressing.
PART 3: MUSHROOM PREP
1. As the pot is cooking on low heat, the mushrooms can be prepared. They can be gently reheated later just before Part 5, when serving.
2. Heat cooking oil in a fry pan and add the mushrooms.
3. Add some salt, pepper, and a ¼ cup (60 ml) of white wine.
4. Cover for the first 5-10 minutes of cooking for the mushrooms to release their juice, and then sauté the mushrooms until all the liquid is absorbed.
5. I like to grill the onions just a bit before turning off the heat. Once finished, cover and place apart.
6. (Note: start the rice in about an hour so that it is ready when the meat is ready.)
PART 4: SAUCE PREP
1. Once the meat is very tender the cooking process is finished. To prepare the sauce all the ingredients Except the broth will remain in the pot.
2. Take a large bowl, and using a slotted spoon remove all the vegetables and meat and place them in another bowl. The two onion halves, twigs of thyme (if using fresh) and bay leaves can be thrown away as they were used to flavor the bouillon. Keep the bouillon!
3. In a large high-edged sauce pan (or a large pot), on medium-low, add the butter and melt it.
4. After, add the lemon juice, and ½ cup of white wine, and mix.
5. With a whisk, slowly add the flour whisking constantly. It must to added slowly in small quantities to be sure that no clumping occurs. If you see the mixture lacking liquid, simply add a ladle from the bouillon that was just separated.
6. While whisking, add the rest of the bouillon (that the veggies and meat were cooked in) and bring to a boil. If the rest of the bouillon doesn’t fit in your sauce pan, add half the bouillon, reduce it, then add the other half of the bouillon, then reduce it again.
7. Cook this mixture for about 5-10 minutes uncovered. The mixture should reduce down to about two cups. Once it does, turn off the stove.
8. While the sauce is cooking, put the heavy cream in a bowl and whisk it for about 3-5 minutes until it becomes a little moussey. Yes, your arm might get tired!
9. Add the cream to the sauce and mix in gently with the whisk.
10. Taste the cream sauce and add salt as needed.
PART 5: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
1. Gently reheat the mushrooms.
2. Add the meat, veggies, and mushrooms into the sauce and gently mix.
3. Let this sit for 5-10 minutes to absorb the sauce.
4. Plate up white rice and two ladles of the sauce meat/veggie mixture.
5. Garnish with thyme and ground pepper and serve with a nice glass of white wine.
