Classic French Veal Stew in White Sauce

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This iconic French veal stew features tender cubes of veal slowly simmered in a silky white sauce enriched with cream, egg yolks, and a splash of lemon. Pearl onions and button mushrooms complete the elegant, comforting classic traditionally served with steamed rice or boiled potatoes.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 480 kcalCalories
• 28 gFat
• 13 gSaturated Fat
• 12 gCarbs
• 2 gFiber
• 4 gSugar
• 42 gProtein
• 520 mgSodium
• 780 mgPotassium
• 95 mgCalcium
• 3 mgIron
• 8 mgVitamin C
• 180 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the Veal and Broth

• 3 lbs veal shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and studded with 2 whole cloves
• 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
• 1 leek (white part only), rinsed and halved
• 1 bouquet garni (4 parsley stems, 2 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 8 cups cold water, plus more as needed

For the Stew

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 12 pearl onions, peeled
• 8 oz button mushrooms, quartered
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. Place the veal in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 3 minutes, then drain and rinse the veal under cool water to remove impurities for a clean white sauce.
2. Return the blanched veal to the pot with the studded onion, carrots, celery, leek, bouquet garni, salt, and 8 cups fresh cold water. Bring to a gentle simmer, skimming any foam, and cook uncovered for 90 minutes until the veal is fork-tender.
3. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, reserving the veal and carrots. Discard the aromatics and skim excess fat from the surface of the broth, then measure out 3 cups.
4. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes until pale golden, then slowly whisk in the 3 cups of reserved broth. Simmer for 10 minutes to thicken into a velouté.
5. Meanwhile, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the pearl onions for 3 minutes; drain. In a skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and sauté the mushrooms over medium-high heat until golden, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the reserved veal, carrots, pearl onions, and mushrooms to the velouté. Simmer gently for 10 minutes to warm everything through and meld the flavors.
7. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the cream and lemon juice. Slowly ladle about 1 cup of the hot sauce into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly, then stir the tempered liaison back into the pot.
8. Cook gently over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil or the eggs will curdle. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.
9. Ladle into shallow bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve immediately with steamed white rice, buttered egg noodles, or boiled new potatoes.

Cook’s Notes

• Always blanch the veal first; this crucial step removes blood and proteins that would otherwise cloud the sauce.
• Never let the stew boil after the egg yolk liaison is added or the sauce will curdle; keep heat at a bare simmer.
• Veal shoulder is the traditional cut because its collagen breaks down into a silky texture during the long simmer.
• For a deeper flavor, prepare the stew a day ahead and gently reheat, allowing the veal to absorb the sauce overnight.
• Serve with crusty bread, steamed basmati rice, or boiled baby potatoes to soak up the velvety sauce.

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