Blanquette de veau

Description

Often considered an institution of French cuisine and the mother of all French dishes, this is the ultimate home cooked meal – traditional and bourgeois, yet simple and flavorful. Blanquette de veau is a veal stew (often with mushrooms and onions) in which neither the veal nor the butter is browned during cooking. The ingredients are cooked en blanquette , meaning that they are simmered in white stock or water with various seasonings, resulting in a decadent and creamy white sauce. The first recipe for blanquette de veau hails from the 1739 edition of Les Dons de Comus , in which the author references its long tradition. The dish is usually served with rice, but carrots, leeks, and cucumbers also make great accompaniments to this gem of French cuisine.