Blanquette de Porc

Blanquette de veau, a veal stew with a luscious wine-laced sauce, is classic Bonne Femme fare. While I enjoy it made with veal in France, at home, I substitute pork blade steak-a cut from the shoulder. Not only is it so much easier to find, but it’s a rich, bold, comforting cut of meat that feels right at home in this classic stew. It’s also a more foolproof cut of meat; while veal can be tricky and dry out if cooked too quickly, pork shoulder is much more forgiving.

For me, this is perfect Sunday night food-great for one of those autumn or winter weekends you just don’t want to end. Invite a couple friends over, open some wine (I like a good white Burgundy with this) and eke out as much pleasure from the evening as you can. As always with rich, meaty dishes, a garlicky green salad will go well with this. For dessert, a few hunks of cheese alongside bread and some high-quality honey or preserves will do just fine.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients
3 - 3 1/2 pounds pork blade steak (also called pork steak)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
2 cloves
1 large carrot, cut in half crosswise, then each half cut into quarters
1 celery rib including leaves, cut into 3-inch pieces
2 cups dry white wine
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 bouquet garni*
4 carrots, cut into 1/4 x 2 inch sticks
1/2 16-ounce bag pearl onions
6 ounces fresh tiny button mushrooms (or use larger mushrooms, halved or quartered), stems
trimmed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Hot parsleyed noodles, for serving

1. Pat pork dry with paper towels. Cut pork off the bone into 1 to 2 inch pieces, trimming most of the fat away as you go. Season pork to taste with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or a braiser over medium to medium-high heat. Cook the pork, half at a time, in hot oil for 5 to 7 minutes per batch, turning as needed to brown evenly. Drain any fat and return all meat to the pot. Stud two of the onion quarters with the cloves; add the onion quarters, carrot, celery, wine, broth, and bouquet garni to the pot. Bring to boiling; reduce heat, and simmer, covered, about 45 minutes or until pork is tender.

2. About 15 minutes toward the end of the cooking time for the pork, prepare the vegetables: In a large saucepan, bring the four cut carrots, the frozen pearl onions, and 1/4 cup lightly salted water to boiling; cover and simmer over medium heat for 4 minutes or until just tender. Drain and remove vegetables to a colander. In the same saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. Cook and stir the button mushrooms in the butter for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender and light brown. Return onions and carrots to the pot; set aside and cover to keep warm.

3. Drain the pork, reserving the cooking stock. Wipe out any residue in Dutch oven. Place pork in a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm; discard other solids, including the cloves and bouquet garni. Skim fat from the cooking stock; pour through a fine-mesh sieve back into the Dutch oven. Bring to boiling and boil until reduced to 2 cups.

4. Work the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the flour together to form a paste. Drop into cooking stock, half a time, cooking and stirring with a wire whisk after each addition until well integrated. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; cook and stir 1 minute more; add the cream, stirring with a wire whisk to combine.

5. Return meat to Dutch oven; add vegetables and lemon juice. Cook and stir very gently to heat through. Serve with hot parsleyed noodles or baked rice.

* Note: For a bouquet garni, using kitchen string tie together 3 sprigs fresh thyme, 5 sprigs parsley, and one bay leaf (or tuck these into an bouquet garni cheesecloth spice bag). Or use a purchased bouquet garni.

PS: This Blanquette de Porc recipe is perfect for the Le Creuset Braiser, or any other braiser. Want more great recipes for your braiser? Check out my e-book, The Braiser Cookbook($2.99). And remember, you don’t have to own a Kindle to read e-books. You can download a free Kindle reading app here: Amazon.com - Read eBooks using the FREE Kindle Reading App on Most Devices

Share