Blanquette de Veau Veal in White Wine Sauce

Total time: 2 hours
   Braised veal and vegetables, finished with a white wine sauce is a classic French dish, easy to make, delicious, and impressive to serve.  It can easily be expanded for a dinner party.

 Ingredients:

• 14oz (420gr) veal, suitable for braising
• 1 onion
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 bouquet garni
• 2 carrots
• 4 shallots
• 4oz (120gr) mushrooms
• 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) dry white wine
• 1 1/4 cups (10oz, 300ml) chicken stock (divided) plus water enough to cover meat in pan
• 2 tbs butter
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbs cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbs water
• pinch of nutmeg
• 1/2 cup (4oz, 125gr) Greek yogurt, sour cream or crème fraiche
• Gnocchi, 7oz (210gr)

 Instructions:

• The Veal: 
• Cut meat into large chunks, 1 1/2 " (3.75 cm).
• Cut the onion in half and stud with cloves.
• Peel the carrots and cut in half the short way, then in half the long way.
• Place meat, onion, carrots and bouquet garni in a heavy saucepan or casserole.
• Pour the white wine over and 1 cup of the chicken stock to cover, adding water if needed.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat, cover, reduce heat and simmer, very gently, for 90 minutes.
• The Veg:
• 30 - 45 minutes before veal is done start the vegetables:  Peel the shallots. 
• Brush the mushrooms, remove stems.  Thickly slice if large, leave small mushrooms whole.
• Heat 1 tbs of the butter and the lemon juice in a medium nonstick skillet.
• Add mushrooms and sauté until golden.  Remove and set aside.
• Add remaining 1 tbs butter and whole shallots.  Sauté until shallots start to brown.
• Add 1/4 cup chicken stock, reduce heat and cover.  Simmer for 20 minutes or until tender.
• Remove cover and cook off most of the liquid.
• Add mushrooms to pan, cover and turn off heat.
• The Gnocchi:
• Cook according to package directions.
• To Finish: 
• Remove veal and carrots from pot, cover and keep warm.
• Strain cooking liquid, put it back into the pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Reduce to 1 cup (or so)
• Turn heat under sauce to medium-low.  Dissolve cornstarch in water and thicken sauce.
• Remove from heat, add yogurt and nutmeg, stirring well. 
• Put the gnocchi onto a platter.  Arrange veal, carrots, shallots and mushroom on top.
• Spoon some sauce over meat, vegetables and pass the rest.