The recipe for veal blanquette
This magnificent dish, which is among the favorite dishes of the French, was originally (in the Middle Ages) a way of preparing leftover roast veal.
To prevent it from being dry, it was served with a white sauce, explains Jean-Louis Flandrin in his work: "Veal blanquette, history of a bourgeois dish".
The first recipe appeared in 1735 in “Le Cuisinier Moderne” by Vincent de la Chapelle.
Originally, the dish is very simple: leftover veal roasts served with a broth and cream sauce, bound with flour and egg yolks. Everything is accompanied by pearl onions and button mushrooms. It's an appetizer.
The recipe will evolve, with an important turning point in the 19th century, the remains are replaced by raw poached meat, the sauce becomes lighter and the blanquette takes its current form.
Recipe : Ingredients for 4 persons :
- 800 g of veal to simmer (shoulder)
- About twenty pearl onions
- 2 carrots
- 400 g of button mushrooms
- 25 cl of liquid cream
- 1/2 liter of vegetable broth
- 10 cl of white wine
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 lemon
- Salt pepper
1. Blanch the pieces of meat for 1 minute in boiling water
2. Drain them and brown them in a casserole dish with butter
3. Sprinkle with flour
4. Add the cut carrots and small cubes
5. Add wine and broth
6. Leave to simmer for 30 mins
7. Add the mushrooms cut into 4 and the pearl onions
8. Leave to simmer and reduce for another 30 mins
9. Add a nice dash of lemon juice
