Blanquette De Veau

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lbs veal shoulder, in 2-inch cubes
• 2 quarts veal or chicken broth, warm
• 1 large carrot, peeled, in 3-inch chunks
• 3 leeks, cleaned, trimmed to 4 inches with two outer layers removed
• 1 stalk celery, in 2-inch pieces
• 1 bouquet garni (bay leaf, thyme branch, 10 sprigs flat-leaf parsley)
• salt
• 18 medium white mushrooms, trimmed
• 1 (10 ounce) bag small white pearl onions, blanched and peeled
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• fresh ground white pepper
• flat leaf parsley (to garnish)
• 1 1/2 cups basmati rice or jasmine rice, steamed

Directions

1. 1

   Place veal in a 4-quart casserole. Add broth and bring to a boil. Skim all scum from surface. Reduce heat to low. Add carrot, leeks, celery and bouquet garni. Season with salt. Simmer 1 hour on very low heat. Add mushrooms and onions. Simmer 30 minutes more. Remove from heat and let rest for 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Remove meat and vegetables to a large bowl, draining well, discarding leeks and bouquet garni. Cover with plastic wrap. Strain cooking liquid into a separate bowl and clean pan. Return liquid to pan and reduce by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in cream. Simmer for 10 minutes, until slightly thickened. Beat egg yolks in a bowl and slowly beat in about half a cup sauce to warm yolks. Slowly whisk egg yolk mixture into pan, remove from heat and keep whisking until sauce has a creamy consistency. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

3. 3

   Return meat, celery, mushrooms and onions to pan. Slice carrots 1/2-inch thick and add. Bring barely to a simmer, stirring, just until ingredients are warmed through. Do not allow sauce to boil or egg yolks will curdle. Check seasonings, garnish with parsley and serve with rice.