Blanquette de Veau (Veal in Creamy White Sauce)

Ingredients

• 1kg diced veal shoulder or breast (British rose veal from a butcher)
• 1 onion, studded with 2 cloves
• 2 carrots, cut into chunks
• 1 celery stick, sliced
• 1 leek, white part only, sliced
• 1 bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf and parsley stalks)
• 1 litre chicken stock
• 250g button mushrooms
• 12 baby onions, peeled
• 50g unsalted butter
• 40g plain flour
• 150ml double cream
• 2 egg yolks
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt and white pepper to taste
• Chopped fresh parsley, to serve

Method

1. Put the veal in a large pan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Drain and rinse the veal to remove any scum, then clean the pan.

2. Return the veal to the pan with the clove-studded onion, carrots, celery, leek, bouquet garni and stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes until the veal is tender.

3. Add the baby onions and mushrooms and simmer for a further 15 minutes. Strain the cooking liquid into a jug, keeping the veal and vegetables warm, and discard the clove-studded onion and bouquet garni. You need about 600ml liquid.

4. Melt the butter in a clean pan, stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes without colouring. Gradually whisk in the hot cooking liquid and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring, until smooth and thickened.

5. Whisk the cream and egg yolks together, then stir in a ladleful of the hot sauce before pouring the mixture back into the pan. Heat gently for 2 minutes without boiling.

6. Add the lemon juice, nutmeg, salt and white pepper, then fold in the veal and vegetables. Warm through gently, scatter with parsley and serve with steamed rice.