Blanquette is a veal stew recipe that was an old favorite of my grandmother, Augusta, who served it in a light white cream sauce. I remember the smell of this mouth watering dish cooking gently on the wood stove. It's a must try!

Start the Veal Blanquette: Cut the meat into one inch cubes, and place in a pot. Cover with cold water. Bring to boil for a minute, and skim off the foam off the top. The foam is the coagulated blood of the meat. Drain the meat into a colander and refresh to stop cooking.

Prepare the aromatic garnish: Peel the onion, and prick with the cloves. Peel the carrots and cut in half lengthwise Wash the leek and tie it up. Peel the garlic, split in half, and remove the germ. It is very important that you remove the germ of the garlic.

Cook the Veal Blanquette: Put the meat and all vegetables in a large pot. Totally cover with approximately 3 liters (quarts) of cold water. Add the rock salt. Bring to a boil, and skim frequently. Cook for about an hour.

In the meantime, prepare the garnish. Soak the pearl onions in warm water. Dice the bacon and sauté on high heat for 3 minutes with a tablespoon of butter.Clean and quarter the mushrooms, and add them to the bacon in the pan. Cook them for five to six additional minutes; strain through a colander or sieve. Peel the onions. Cook in the baby onions, with 1 cup of water, 2 ounces of butter, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Strain on top of the mushrooms.

Prepare the sauce: Prepare a white roux with the butter and flour. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour. Whisk until homogenized. Cook on low heat for three minutes. Using a very fine sieve, strain onto the cold roux, about 1.5 liters of the cooking stock. Whisk and cook over medium heat until thickened. Remove from the heat and gradually pour this mixture into the boiling broth, stirring constantly. Add seasonings. Strain the sauce once more in a large, clean saucepan. Add the pieces of meat one by one, and immerse them in the sauce. Add the mushrooms, pearl onions, and bacon. Gently stir and serve hot with hot parsley on top.

Veal Blanquette is usually served with rice, and some steamed vegetables.

About Veal Shoulder: The muscles include shoulder, forearm, and a thin layer of lean meat from brisket. The shoulder is usually used for braising or roasting.