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
1.2 kg
🥩 Veal ›
shoulder, in 4 cm chunks
2
🥕 Carrot ›
1
🧅 Onion ›
clove-studded
1
🥬 Leek ›
250 g
🍄 Cremini Mushrooms ›
12
🧅 Shallot ›
or pearl onions
40 g
🧈 Butter ›
40 g
🌾 Flour ›
150 ml
🥛 Heavy Cream ›
2
🥚 Eggs ›
yolks only
1/2
🍋 Lemon ›
1 bouquet
🌿 Thyme ›
+ bay
Add all to shopping list
Mise en place
Before you start
25m
Prep
105m
Cook
130m
Total
6
Serves
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.
2
Add aromatics and whisper-simmer 75–90 minutes until tender. Strain; keep 600 ml of broth.
Learn the technique ›
3
Velouté: roux + the hot broth, simmered 10 minutes. Glaze the mushrooms and shallots in butter; add with the veal.
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.
💡
After the liaison goes in, boiling = scrambled sauce. Warm hold only.
Learn the technique ›
From the chef
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.