Blanquette de Veau with Leeks
This is a favorite dish of mine that I would make often when I lived in Paris in the late 1940s. I’ve learned to simplify it a bit and make relatively small portions. I am partial to leeks, no doubt because of my Welsh husband, who called them the poor man’s asparagus, and they marry particularly well with delicate veal.
Ingredients
For the Optional Finish
Preparation
Step 1
Melt the butter in a medium heavy saucepan. Salt the veal pieces lightly, then dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Put them in the pan with the sizzling butter. Sauté gently over moderate heat for a few minutes, turning them until they are just lightly browned on all sides. Add the shallot slices for the last minute of sautéing. Splash in the wine, and cook down a little; then add the broth. Cover, and simmer gently for 1 hour. Cut the coarse green tops off the leeks and save for a soup. Wash the leeks carefully, cut them into 1-inch pieces, and add them to the veal along with the potatoes, peeled and cut in half, and the herb packet. Cook slowly, semi-covered, until the potatoes are tender—about 20 minutes.
Step 2
Now, you can enjoy the blanquette as is, but if you want to take the time to make it velvety and soigné, here’s what you do. (First remove four or five chunks of the veal, leaving in the pan just what you want for your own dinner, and store those extra pieces along with a quarter of the cooking juice.) Beat the half-egg in a small bowl until blended, then slowly add the remaining hot cooking liquid and the cream. Return this sauce to the pan with the veal, and heat it very slowly until it thickens. Sprinkle the preserved lemon and parsley on top.
Second Round
Step 3
Chop the reserved veal into small pieces, and make a quick veal-sauced pasta dish.
