Blanquette de veau

Often considered an institution of French cuisine and the mother of all French dishes, this is the ultimate home cooked meal – traditional and bourgeois, yet simple and flavorful. Blanquette de veau is a veal stew (often with mushrooms and onions) in which neither the veal nor the butter is browned during cooking. The ingredients are cooked en blanquette, meaning that they are simmered in white stock or water with various seasonings, resulting in a decadent and creamy white sauce. The first recipe for blanquette de veau hails from the 1739 edition of Les Dons de Comus, in which the author references its long tradition. The dish is usually served with rice, but carrots, leeks, and cucumbers also make great accompaniments to this gem of French cuisine.