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RECIPES |
A blanquette is a white stew. It is "cuisine à l'ancienne" or old-style cooking. There are many recipes, many variations. This one is easy and satisfying. It is a great favorite with children. Unlike most stews, however, blanquette doesn't reheat very well. It is much better on the first day. The recipes below are for 4 to 5 people.
BLANQUETTE DE VEAU
2 lbs cubed stew veal
2 big carrots, peeled whole
2 onions, peeled whole
2 cloves garlic, peeled whole
2 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup white wine
salt - white pepper
1 lb mushrooms, very fresh
1 tablespoon + 5 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
juice of 1 nice lemon Rinse the meat under running cold water.
Place the meat in a saucepan with the carrot, onion, garlic, cloves, bay leaves and wine.
Add cold water to cover. Season with salt and white pepper (white pepper won't cause specks in your sauce).
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the meat is tender, about 75 to 90 minutes.
Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms, whole or halved, in the single tablespoon butter, not so fast that they brown, but not so slow that they over reduce either. Reserve.
Make a batch of baked Carolina rice.
Place a colander above a large bowl.
Carefully pour contents of saucepan in the colander. Save the broth. Save the meat. Discard everything else (unless someone in your family likes very soft carrrots).
Return empty saucepan to a medium flame. Melt the 5 tablespoons butter. Add the flour and stir until bubbly. Carefully add about 4 cups of the hot broth. Whisk well until smooth. Add more broth to obtain a nice sauce, not too thick, not too runny, just as you wish. Return meat, mushrooms and any collected juices to the sauce. Stir, taste, and adjust salt. Add lemon juice and serve over rice.
BLANQUETTE DE POULET
Follow recipe above, substituting a whole chicken, tied with string, for the veal.
When your sauce is finished, carve the boiled chicken attractively on a platter. Ladle some of the sauce over the chicken. Serve additional sauce with the mushrooms separately
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