Blanquette de Veau with Lemon Cream and Tarragon

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic French comfort: tender veal in a silky, ivory sauce that’s brightened with lemon and tarragon.
• Familiar techniques made easy for home cooks with clear, step-by-step guidance.
• Make-ahead friendly: cook the meat and broth in advance, finish the sauce right before serving.
• Restaurant-worthy presentation with simple pantry ingredients.

Grocery List

• Produce: Onion, carrot, small leek, celery rib, garlic, button mushrooms, pearl onions, lemon, fresh tarragon, parsley (optional)
• Dairy: Unsalted butter, heavy cream, 2 large eggs (for yolks)
• Pantry: Veal shoulder, low-sodium chicken stock, dry white wine, all-purpose flour, thyme, bay leaf, whole cloves, peppercorns, white pepper, fine sea salt, sugar, white rice

Full Ingredients

Veal and Poaching Broth

• 2.5 lb (1.1 kg) veal shoulder or breast, trimmed and cut into 1.5-inch cubes
• 1 small onion, halved and studded with 2 whole cloves
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 small leek (white part only), cleaned and cut into chunks
• 1 celery rib, cut into chunks
• 2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
• 1 bouquet garni (2 thyme sprigs, 1 bay leaf, 6 parsley stems)
• 8 whole black peppercorns
• 6 cups (1.4 L) low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 cups (480 ml) water
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine
• 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste

Mushroom and Pearl Onion Garnish

• 8 oz (225 g) button mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
• 8 oz (225 g) pearl onions, peeled (frozen, thawed is fine)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter (1 tbsp for mushrooms, 1 tbsp for onions)
• 1 tsp granulated sugar (for onion glaze)
• 1–2 tsp fresh lemon juice (to keep mushrooms bright)
• Fine sea salt

White Sauce (Velouté) and Finish

• 4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter
• 6 tbsp (48 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper (or to taste), fine sea salt
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

To Serve

• 4 cups hot cooked white rice (or 12 oz buttered egg noodles)
• Extra chopped tarragon or parsley for garnish

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep and blanch the veal

Add the veal cubes to a large pot and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat; as soon as a light boil is reached (2–3 minutes), skim foam, then drain immediately. Rinse the meat with warm water and rinse the pot. This blanching keeps the finished stew pale and clean-tasting.

Step 2: Build the white broth and gently simmer

Return the veal to the clean pot. Add the stock, water, wine, onion with cloves, carrot, leek, celery, garlic, bouquet garni, peppercorns, and salt. Bring to a bare simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low to maintain a gentle burble around 185°F (85°C). Partially cover and cook until the veal is very tender, 1 hour 15 minutes, skimming occasionally. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the veal to a bowl and keep warm. Strain the broth through a fine sieve. Measure out 4 cups (960 ml) hot broth for the sauce; if you’re short, top up with stock or water.

Step 3: Cook the mushrooms “à blanc”

In a medium skillet, add the mushrooms, 1 tbsp butter, a pinch of salt, 1–2 tsp lemon juice, and 2 tbsp water. Cover and cook over medium heat until just tender and lightly juicy, 5–7 minutes. Uncover and let any excess liquid evaporate. Set aside; keep pale and glossy.

Step 4: Glaze the pearl onions

In a small sauté pan, combine pearl onions, 1 tbsp butter, 1 tsp sugar, a pinch of salt, and enough water to come halfway up the onions. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until tender, 10–12 minutes. Uncover and swirl until the liquid reduces to a light syrup and coats the onions. Set aside.

Step 5: Make the white sauce (velouté)

In a wide saucepan, melt 4 tbsp butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, 2 minutes; it should foam but stay pale. Gradually whisk in the 4 cups hot strained broth. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, whisking often, until smooth and slightly thickened to light cream consistency, 8–10 minutes. Season lightly with salt and white pepper.

Step 6: Finish with the lemon-cream and tarragon

In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks, heavy cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Off the heat, slowly whisk in 1–2 ladlefuls of the hot sauce to temper. Return the tempered mixture to the pan over very low heat and cook gently, stirring constantly, until the sauce reaches 170°F (77°C) and turns silky; do not let it boil. Stir in the chopped tarragon (and a pinch of nutmeg, if using). Taste and adjust salt and white pepper.

Step 7: Fold everything together and serve

Add the warm veal, mushrooms, and glazed pearl onions to the sauce. Stir gently to coat and warm through for 3–5 minutes, keeping the sauce below a simmer. Serve immediately over hot white rice (or buttered noodles), with extra tarragon sprinkled on top.

Pro Tips

• Keep it pale: blanch the meat, avoid browning, and use white pepper instead of black.
• Temperature matters: simmer the veal gently (~185°F) and never boil the sauce after adding the yolk-and-cream liaison.
• Right thickness: the sauce should nappe the back of a spoon. If too thick, whisk in hot broth 1–2 tbsp at a time.
• Cut size counts: 1.5-inch cubes cook evenly and stay tender without shredding.
• Balance the lemon: add zest and juice at the end for brightness without overpowering the delicate veal.

Variations

• Chicken Blanquette: Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs; reduce simmer time to 35–40 minutes.
• Spring Vegetable Twist: Add blanched baby carrots, peas, and asparagus tips with the mushrooms for color and crunch.
• No-Wine Version: Replace wine with stock plus 1 tsp white wine vinegar or extra lemon juice to taste.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Poach the veal and strain the broth up to 2 days ahead; refrigerate separately. Cook the mushrooms and pearl onions 1 day ahead. Reheat broth and meat, then make the roux and finish the sauce just before serving for the best texture. Leftovers keep 3 days in the fridge. Reheat gently on low until steaming (160°F), without boiling, to protect the liaison. For longer storage, freeze the cooked veal and strained broth (without the liaison) for up to 2 months; thaw, reheat, and finish the sauce fresh.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approx. 560 calories; 38 g protein; 33 g fat; 16 g carbohydrates; 1 g fiber; 980 mg sodium. Values are estimates and exclude rice or noodles.