Blanquette de veau first appeared in the eighteenth century. Sauces were thickened with flour and cream. At the end of the cooking, the separately sautéed onions and mushrooms are added. You can thicken with cream alone, to make a lighter sauce or even add a touch of vanilla to make the sauce more sensuous. Uhmmmm good!

Ingredients

 55g Butter
 1.2kg rose veal with gristle removed and kept
 1 tablespoon of wine vinegar
 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
 2 Bay leaves
 1 bouquet garni
 Salt and fresh ground pepper
 1 teaspoon of thyme
 12-20 peeled shallots
 8-10 large mushrooms sliced
 55g plain flour
 1 tbsp of Sherry or vin cuit
 600ml fresh cream

Preparation

 Cut the veal into 3cm cubes
 Heat 15g butter in a large saucepan
 Add the veal, vinegar and garlic and fry lightly until the veal is lightly coloured
 Pour in enough water to cover the veal and add the bay leaves and bouquet garni.
 Once the veal has been simmering for one-hour place the veal trimmings and the bacon in a separate saucepan. Pour in enough water to cover add salt and freshly ground pepper and the thyme. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to simmer.
 Add the peeled shallots and simmer for a further 30 minutes.
 Add the sliced mushrooms and simmer for ten minutes more.
 Strain the stock, discarding the veal trimmings but keeping the bacon, shallots and mushrooms (all of this must be kept warm).
 In a large saucepan melt the remaining butter. Mix in the flour and cook gently, stirring, for two minutes.
 Add the bacon stock and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
 Add the sherry or vin cuit to the stock sauce and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
 Strain the stock into a saucepan and stir in the cream. Cook very gently, taking care not to bring to the boil.
 Place the veal shallots, bacon and mushrooms in a serving dish