Recipe: Traditional French Veal Blanquette

It was back in 1986 that I began my studies at Le Havre Culinary School in Normandy, France, and received a special cookbook and knife set. Thirty-five years later, one of the knives is still next to me and the cookbook is aging on my bookshelf. The book has lost its cover, pages are coming loose – and like all well-worn objects, it has many stories to tell. The knife’s wooden handle did not support being left in the drawer and I barely touch the book now, worried it may fall apart.

These two beloved culinary tools still represent the core values and foundation that I built my career on and symbolize what we share daily with the Oceania Cruises teams on board our ships. The veal blanquette recipe I chose from this cherished cookbook is featured on our menus on board and is the one I most often like to share and cook at home. Therefore, I decided to reopen my school book for you and share it with you. I hope you enjoy this classic dish of veal blanquette as much as I do and that we have a chance to prepare it for you on board one of our ships very soon.

Traditional Veal Blanquette Recipe

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE VEAL
2.2 pounds veal shoulder, cut into 1½ inch cubes
1 large onion, peeled, left whole, studded with 2 cloves
2 carrots, peeled
1 piece celery
1 leek, white part only
1 bouquet garni, 2 cloves
8 whole black peppercorns
Rock salt, to taste

FOR THE ONIONS & MUSHROOMS
24 small pearl onions, peeled
Broth from the veal
8 to 9 ounces small button mushrooms, quartered
1 lemon
1 tablespoon of sugar
2 tablespoons butter

FOR THE SAUCE
Broth from the onions and mushrooms
1 ¼ cups heavy cream
2 free-range egg yolks
½ cup flour
½ cup butter
Fleur de sel and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

FOR THE VEAL
Remove nerve part and degrease the veal meat and cut into 1½-inch cubes.

FOR THE BLANQUETTE
Blanch the meat by combining the pieces of veal in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes while skimming the surface. Strain the meat and reserve.

Combine the meat with the onion, carrots, celery, leek, bouquet garni, whole black peppercorns and rock salt. Cover with cold water. Cover with a lid and bring slowly to a simmer. Once simmering, cook for 60 minutes while cleaning the surface often.

Once cooked, remove the meat and strain the broth through a fine sieve. Reserve.

FOR THE GARNISH
Combine the quartered mushrooms with lemon juice, butter, salt and pepper. Cover with boiling water and cook covered for 8 minutes. Drain the mushrooms and reserve the jus. For the pearl onions, cover with water, sugar and butter and bring to a simmer and cook until the juice has reduced, but not caramelized. Keep the onions white.

TO FINISH THE SAUCE
Combine the mushroom jus and the broth and bring back to a boil. Make a roux with the flour and butter and cook for 3 minutes. Cool down.

Measure the broth, and using a ratio of 2 ounces roux for every 4 cups of broth, pour the boiling broth over the roux. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes by whisking continuously. Add the cream and bring back to a simmer for 10 minutes. The sauce should have a nice coating consistency.

Check the seasoning and add fleur de sel as needed. Pass through a fine sieve & reserve.

Combine the meat, mushrooms, pearl onion and cover with the sauce, finish with chopped parsley and serve with rice pilaf on the side.