Blanquette de Veau

Bob and I have two favorite dishes that have their roots in French peasant kitchens. Mine is Cotes de Pork L'Auvergnate, a wonderful dish of pork and cabbage that's braised in cream. Bob's is Blanquette de Veau, a white veal stew that's made with mushrooms and pearl onions that comes from Normandy. Veal, other than cutlets, is difficult to come by here. Every now and then, veal stew meat appears in one of our supermarkets and when it is available I buy all of it I can. We really love this dish and for years I served it for dinner on Christmas Eve. All cooks have dishes they make from memory. These two recipes have been burned into mine and I put them together as easily as some folks throw together a meatloaf. Practice makes perfect. It helps that they are very easy to do. Last week I was able to buy veal stew meat and made Bob his favorite stew. Here's the recipe.

Blanquette de Veau - Veal Stew with Mushrooms and Onions...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3 pounds veal stew meat, cut in 2-inch cubes
2 quarts water
3 cups chicken broth
1 large carrot, peeled, in 3-inch chunks
1 large onion stuck with 1 whole clove
1 stalk celery, in 2-inch pieces
1 bouquet garni (1/2 bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 5 parsley sprigs) tied in a coffee filter
Salt
18 medium-size white mushrooms, trimmed
1/2 of 10-ounce bag frozen pearl onions
4 tablespoon butter
5 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste
3 egg yolks
Chopped parsley for garnish

Directions:
1) Place veal in a 4-quart casserole. Add water and bring to a boil. Simmer until heavy scum no longer rises, about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse veal. Wash pan and return meat to it. Add chicken broth, carrot, celery, onion and bouquet garni to veal. Salt lightly to taste. Simmer slowly, partially covered, until meat is tender, about 1 hours. Remove pan from heat. Let pot sit, uncovered, for about 30 minutes to allow veal to absorb flavor of cooking liquid. With a slotted spoon, remove veal from cooking liquid. Set aside. Remove vegetables and bouquet garni; discard. Strain cooking liquid into a large saucepan. Wash kettle and return veal to it along with cooking liquid. Add mushrooms and onions and cook for 30 minutes longer.
2) Remove meat and vegetables to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Tent with foil to keep warm. Reserve 3 cups of cooking liquid; keep hot.
3) Melt butter in a 3 quart saucepan. Add flour and cook until flour and butter froth together for 2 minutes. Do not allow to brown. Slowly whisk in hot broth. Simmer for 10 minutes, skimming off any foam that appears on surface of sauce. Adjust seasoning and add lemon juice to taste (I generally use a tablespoon of lemon juice). Return veal, mushrooms and onions to sauce and toss gently to coat. Simmer for about 3 minutes. Blend egg yolks and cream in a small bowl. Add a ladle full of sauce to cream mixture to warm egg yolks. Remove veal from heat. Stir in cream mixture and return to a gentle heat. Stir gently until mixture thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Do not let sauce come to a boil. Transfer to a warm serving bowl. Garnish with parsley and serve with rice or parsley buttered noodles. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Boeuf Bourguignon - One Perfect Bite
Braised Short Ribs Côtes du Rhône - One Perfect Bite
Crock-Pot Mediterranean Pot au Feu - One Perfect Bite

Southwestern-Style Potatoes Roasted with Peppers and Herbs

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you like roast potatoes, chances are you'll love this version which has a slightly Southwestern twist. The potatoes are topped with a medley of herbs and absorb additional flavor from three types of fresh peppers that roast along side them. There are a couple of tricks to making this dish work, but I assure you they are simple. To prevent the peppers and onions from releasing juices that would braise, rather than roast, the potatoes, hot becomes the operative word. The oven must be hot and the pan on which the vegetables roast must be hot enough to sizzle when the vegetables are dumped onto it. To assure a hot pan, place it in the oven as it preheats. Spray it with a nonstick vegetable spray or olive oil just before you place vegetables in it. Resist the temptation to oil the pan while it preheats. You'll end up with enough smoke to set off your alarms. This lesson comes from the been there, done that school of life which I've completed with high honors. These potatoes are a wonderful accompaniment to steaks and roasts and can make a plain meal sparkle with flavor. If I can get you to make them, I know they'll become a favorite of yours as well. While I make this with baby Yukon Gold, any small potato, including fingerlings, can be used with similar result. Leftovers can be warmed the following day and served with poached or fried eggs for a quick and easy feast. Here's the recipe for roast potatoes made new again.

Southwestern-Style Potatoes Roasted with Peppers and Herbs...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2-1/2 to 3 pounds small new potatoes, cut in half lengthwise
1 large red bell pepper, cut in 1/2-inch dice
1 large poblano pepper, cut in 1/2-inch dice
1 large jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut in very thin crosswise slices
1 large sweet onion cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon sweet smoked Spanish paprika (pimenton)
1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Juice of 1 large lemon

Directions:
1) Place a large baking sheet into oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2) Place potatoes, red pepper, poblano pepper, jalapeno pepper, sweet onion, basil, thyme, paprika, salt, pepper, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice in a large bowl and toss well to coat all ingredients. Quickly spray hot pan with nonstick spray. Dump potato mixture in a single layer onto pan. Return to oven.
3) Bake, turning mixture every 15 minutes, until potatoes are soft and brown, about 50 minutes. Yield 6 to 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Savory Roasted Potatoes for a Crowd - One Perfect Bite
Mustard Glazed Potatoes - One Perfect Bite
Caramelized Potatoes (Brunede Kartofler )- One Perfect Bite

Onion and Fennel Bisque - Outdoor Wednesday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I found this recipe years ago on the Kaiser Permanente website. I tried it, loved it and made it a permanent feature of our summer table. I've seen it since on Epicurious and other more tony sites, so I know my judgment regarding the original soup was sound. The predominant flavor in the soup is fresh fennel. There are two types of this aromatic plant. Both types have feathery foliage and edible stems and leaves, but Florence fennel, or finocchio, which has a broad bulbous base is what's used in this soup. This type of fennel is often mislabeled "sweet anise," causing those who don't like the flavor of licorice to avoid it. The flavor of fennel, however, is sweeter and more delicate than anise when it's cooked. This is a really simple soup that's packed with flavor. It can be served hot or cold and it's a perfect accompaniment to a summer meal. Here's the recipe.

Onion and Fennel Bisque...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients: 2 leeks (white and pale green parts only), chopped (1 cup)
3 medium red onions, chopped (3 1/2 cups)
1/2 lb fennel bulb (sometimes called anise), stalks discarded and bulb cored and chopped (1-1/4 cups)
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups vegetable stock or low-sodium chicken broth
1-1/4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons Pernod Garnish: chopped fresh chives

Directions:
1) Wash leeks well in a bowl of cold water, then lift out and drain well.
2) Cook onions, leeks, fennel, and garlic in butter in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 15 minutes. Add wine and boil, uncovered, until evaporated, about 1 minute. Add stock, water, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and liquid is reduced to about 6 cups, about 15 minutes.
3) Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), then transfer to bowls and chill or serve. Yield: 5 cups.

This recipe is being linked to Outdoor Wednesday, an event sponsored by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer.

Trencherman's Onions

If there is beef on the table my trencherman will clamor for these unusual onion stuffed onions. I'm happy to oblige because they can be assembled the day before the feast and leave my hands free for other tasks. If you're looking for something slightly different to serve your family this holiday season, take a quick look at the recipe and see if it might suit your needs. Onions prepared in this manner are sweet and a perfect match for beef. They are wonderful on many levels. It's hard to beat that old trinity of cheap, easy and delicious. Why not give them a try?

Trencherman's Onions

Ingredients:
6 (about 6-oz. each) tennis-ball-size white onions
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 slices thick-cut smoked bacon, diced
4 cloves peeled garlic
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup packed fresh Italian parsley leaves + 1 tablespoon chopped parsley for garnish
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat a medium (11 x 7 x 2-inch) baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2) Peel onions, leaving root and stem ends intact. Place in a large microwaveable container; add water to just cover bottom of container. Cook, covered, on HIGH power for 10 minutes, or until onions are just tender. Remove from container; set aside to cool.
3) Heat oil in a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Add bacon and sauté until brown and crisp. Remove pan from heat.
4) Remove top 1-inch of onions. Discard stems; add flesh to bowl of a food processor. Leaving sides and bottoms of onions intact, scoop interior flesh into food processor and place onion shells in prepared baking dish. Add garlic, basil, and 1/2 cup parsley to onions in food processor; pulse to coarsely chop. Scrape into skillet containing bacon and stir with spoon to combine. Return skillet to stovetop; cook over medium heat until onion mixture softens and is fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add cream and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat; stir in cheese and season with salt and pepper. Spoon an equal portion of mixture into onion shells. Bake in middle third of oven for 30 minutes. Garnish with reserved 1 tablespoon parsley. Serve hot. Yield: 6 servings.