The white braise: veal poached gently (never browned — that's the point), finished in a velvety sauce of its own broth, cream, and egg yolk.
What you need
Ingredients
Servings
6
Before you start
Mise en place
Equipment
Large skillet
Chef's knife
Cutting board
Prep checklist
Veal — shoulder, in 4 cm chunks
Onion — clove-studded
Shallot — or pearl onions
Eggs — yolks only
Thyme — + bay
4 steps
Method
1
Cover the veal with cold water, bring to a simmer, and skim thoroughly — no browning anywhere; blanquette means white.
15 min — timer available in cooking mode
2
Add aromatics and whisper-simmer 75–90 minutes until tender. Strain; keep 600 ml of broth.
80 min — timer available in cooking mode
3
Velouté: roux + the hot broth, simmered 10 minutes. Glaze the mushrooms and shallots in butter; add with the veal.
15 min — timer available in cooking mode
4
The liaison: whisk yolks and cream, temper with hot sauce, and stir back in OFF the heat — silk, never boiled again. Lemon, seasoning, rice alongside.
Why this works
After the liaison goes in, boiling = scrambled sauce. Warm hold only.
From the pass
Chef's notes
Taste before serving and adjust salt and acid — the last 30 seconds of seasoning matter more than any single ingredient.
Afterwards
Keep, reheat & pair
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water.
Freezing
Freezes well up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating
Reheat gently: covered in a 160°C oven for 15 minutes, or in a pan over medium-low with a splash of water or stock. The microwave works at 50% power in short bursts — full blast toughens proteins.
Make ahead
Most braises and sauces improve overnight. Sear-and-serve dishes: do every step up to the final cook, then finish fresh.
Wine pairing
A round white Burgundy — Mâcon-Villages.
Beer pairing
Match intensity: lagers for delicate dishes, amber ales for roasted flavors, stouts for the rich and braised.