ecipe: Blanquette de Veau

Time: 3 hours, plus 30 minutes resting

2 1/2 pounds veal shoulder, in 2-inch cubes
2 quarts veal or chicken broth, warm
1 large carrot, peeled, in 3-inch chunks
3 leeks, cleaned, trimmed to 4 inches with two outer layers removed
1 stalk celery, in 2-inch pieces
1 bouquet garni (bay leaf, thyme branch, 10 sprigs flat-leaf parsley)
Salt
18 medium-size white mushrooms, trimmed
1 10-ounce bag small pearl onions, blanched and peeled
1 cup heavy cream
2 large egg yolks
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
Freshly ground white pepper
Flat-leaf parsley leaves for garnish
1 1/2 cups basmati or jasmine rice, steamed.
1. Place veal in a 4-quart casserole. Add broth and bring to a boil. Skim all scum from surface.
Reduce heat to low. Add carrot, leeks, celery and bouquet garni. Season with salt. Simmer 1 hour
on very low heat. Add mushrooms and onions. Simmer 30 minutes more. Remove from heat and
let rest for 30 minutes.
2. Remove meat and vegetables to a large bowl, draining well, discarding leeks and bouquet
garni. Cover with plastic wrap. Strain cooking liquid into a separate bowl and clean pan. Return
liquid to pan and reduce by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in cream. Simmer for 10 minutes, until
slightly thickened. Beat egg yolks in a bowl and slowly beat in about half a cup sauce to warm
yolks. Slowly whisk egg yolk mixture into pan, remove from heat and keep whisking until sauce
has a creamy consistency. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

3. Return meat, celery, mushrooms and onions to pan. Slice carrots 1/2-inch thick and add. Bring
barely to a simmer, stirring, just until ingredients are warmed through. Do not allow sauce to boil
or egg yolks will curdle. Check seasonings, garnish with parsley and serve with rice.
Yield: 6 servings.