Blanquette de veau


Blanquette de veau is a French veal ragout in which neither the veal nor the butter is browned in the cooking process. To refrain from browning meat and fat in this way, is to cook them en blanquette.
From Larousse Gastronomique
"BLANQUETTE: the French term for a ragout of white meat cooked in a white stock or water with aromatic flavorings. Theoretically, the sauce is obtained by making a roux and adding cream and egg yolks. However, the roux is more often than not omitted. Blanquette had a very important place in historical cuisine and became a classic of bourgeois cookery. Blanquettes are also made with fish and vegetables "

Preparation and variations

To prepare blanquette de veau, one stews pieces of veal and mirepoix, Strain, reserving meat, then bolster the broth with roux. Boil to thicken, then return meat to stew. International Culinary Center recipe includes adding pearl onions and quartered mushrooms to the mix. Finish with a liaison of heavy cream and yolk, 1:1. Do not further cook once egg is added, to avoid curdling.
Again, from Larousse, "Blanquette is usually served with rice à la créole but may also be served with celeriac, halved celery hearts, carrots, braised parsnips or leeks, cucumber as being served with noodles instead of rice. He also lists a second recipe, Blanquette of Veal Breast with Celery Knobs and endives, which is served on parboiled noodles as well.
Because this is a classic "white stew" there is a prejudice to serving it with any items that would add color.