Blanquette de Veau

Instructions

1. 1
   Place the veal chunks in a large pot and cover completely with cold water. Bring to a boil and let cook for 5 minutes to blanch the meat and remove any impurities. Drain the meat and wash the pot.
2. 2
   Return the blanched meat to the clean pot. Add the chopped carrots, the whole onion studded with cloves, bay leaves, and the thyme. Pour in enough stock or fresh water to submerge everything, season with salt, and bring to a gentle simmer.
3. 3
   Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer patiently for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the veal is incredibly melt-in-your-mouth tender.
4. 4
   While the meat simmers, sauté the mushrooms in a separate skillet with a small pat of butter and a few drops of lemon juice for 5 minutes. Do not let them brown heavily. Set aside.
5. 5
   When the meat is fully tender, transfer the veal and carrots out of the pot into a covered bowl to keep them moist. Strain the remaining cooking broth through a fine sieve and measure out about 600ml of liquid. Discard the onion.
6. 6
   In the empty pot, melt the 40g of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the 40g of flour and cook for 1 minute to create a white roux, making sure it doesn't take on any brown color.
7. 7
   Gradually pour the reserved strained broth into the roux, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Simmer gently for 5-8 minutes until a smooth, velvety sauce develops.
8. 8
   In a small mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the heavy cream, egg yolk, and lemon juice.
9. 9
   Turn off the heat. Slowly stir the cream and yolk mixture into the hot sauce, blending it completely. Return the veal, cooked carrots, and sautéed mushrooms to the pot.
10. 10
    Warm the stew on very low heat for an additional 2 minutes so everything is heated evenly, but do not let it boil, or the egg yolk will curdle. Serve piping hot in a deep bowl, topped with bay leaves, thyme, and whole peppercorns to match blanquette de veau.png.