Blanquette of Lamb Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 3 cups veal stock
• 2 carrots, quartered
• 2 onions, peeled and quartered with a clove stuck into each quarter
• 1 sprig of thyme, several celery leaves, and a sprig of parsley tied into cheesecloth (bouquet garni)
• 1 pound of button mushrooms, halved
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 leeks, chopped and cleaned
• 20 baby carrots
• 1 stick butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Cover lamb with veal stock in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
2. Add carrots, onions, and bouquet garni. Cover and gently simmer until lamb is tender, about 1 hour 20 minutes to 90 minutes.
3. Strain the stock through a fine sieve or cheesecloth and pour back over lamb. Set aside.
4. Simmer mushrooms in 1/2 cup water with a tablespoon of butter for 2 minutes. Drain liquid from mushrooms into a small bowl and set aside.
5. Working in batches, simmer vegetables (leeks, baby carrots) in water until tender. Drain and set aside.
6. Heat one stick of butter in a large saucepan until it bubbles.
7. Stir flour into butter and cook until raw flour flavor is gone, about 1 minute.
8. Add 1 cup of the stock covering the lamb and whisk until well combined.
9. Add the liquid from the mushrooms and simmer until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.
10. Remove the lamb from the remaining liquid and use liquid to adjust thickness of sauce. Drain lamb in a colander.
11. Combine egg yolks and cream in a small bowl, whisking to combine.
12. Add a tablespoon of remaining warm lamb stock to eggs and cream to temper, and then slowly stir the cream mixture into the sauce, stirring gently to combine.
13. Simmer and season if necessary.
14. Combine sauce, vegetables, and lamb, stirring gently.
15. Serve garnished with chopped parsley.