A noble white stew of veal gently simmered with aromatic vegetables, thickened with velouté, and enriched with cream and egg yolk. The blanquette is the essence of French cuisine bourgeoise – soft, subtle, and elegant in its restraint.
FR / EN
Blanquette de veau à l’ancienne / Traditional White Veal Stew
Regional Style
Île-de-France / Bourgeois Domestic Cuisine
Servings
Serves Four
Ingredients
- 800 g veal shoulder or breast, cut into large cubes
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 1 small onion, studded with 1 clove
- 1 leek (white part only), split and washed
- 1 bouquet garni (parsley, thyme, bay leaf)
- Salt, to taste
- 6–8 black peppercorns
- Water to cover (approx. 1.5 L)
For the sauce:
- 40 g butter
- 40 g flour
- 300 ml cooking broth from the veal
- 1 egg yolk
- 100 ml crème fraîche or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Optional garniture:
- 100 g small white mushrooms, trimmed
- 12 pearl onions, blanched and peeled
- 15 g butter for finishing
One tablespoon is approximately 15 ml, and a teaspoon is approximately 5 ml.
Preparation Method
Blanch and Simmer the Veal
Place the veal cubes in a pot, cover them with cold water, and bring the liquid to a slow simmer. Skim thoroughly. Once clear, add the carrots, onion, leek, bouquet garni, peppercorns, and a pinch of salt. Simmer gently for 1.5 to 2 hours, until the veal is tender and falling apart. Skim often.
Prepare the Garniture (Optional)
While the veal cooks, braise the pearl onions in butter and a spoonful of water until tender and glazed. Sauté the mushrooms separately in butter until they release and reabsorb their juices.
Strain and Reserve the Broth
When the veal is tender, remove it along with the vegetables and strain the broth through a fine sieve. Discard the onion and bouquet garni.
Make the Sauce
In a clean saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the flour to form a blond roux. Gradually whisk in 300 ml of the veal cooking broth. Simmer until lightly thickened and smooth.
Enrich the Sauce
In a bowl, beat the egg yolk with the cream. Off the heat, stir this liaison into the sauce, whisking gently. Return to low heat and warm gently without boiling. Add lemon juice and adjust salt.
Assemble and Serve
Return the veal to the sauce, along with the mushrooms and onions (if using). Heat gently before serving. Serve in a deep dish or warmed tureen.
Serving Suggestions & Garnishes
Serve with steamed rice, buttered noodles, or potatoes à l’anglaise. Garnish with chopped parsley or a lemon wedge. For elegant service, present in porcelain with a silver ladle.
Tips, Tricks, or Variations
The meat and sauce must remain white – do not brown the veal or aromatics. Use only light-colored stock or water. The liaison (yolk and cream) must not boil, or it will curdle.
Historical & Cultural Context
Blanquette de veau dates back to at least the 18th century, with roots in Île-de-France and Burgundy. Originally a dish of cold white veal in cream sauce, it evolved in the 19th century into the gently stewed version we know today. By 1910, blanquette was already considered a pillar of bourgeois home cooking (a hallmark of French middle-class cuisine), gracing Sunday tables and holiday menus.
Its white color, soft texture, and creamy sauce reflect the values of refinement without ostentation, and its technique (blanching, no browning, gentle thickening with liaison) showcases the precision of French domestic kitchens.
Escoffier even praised Blanquette and became a staple in railway dining cars, military officers’ clubs, and school textbooks in the early 20th century, securing its place as one of France’s most enduring dishes.
