An Example of Flavor Building

Let’s look more closely at the recipe for blanquette of veal. Veal, by itself, does not have a strong or pronounced flavor. Unlike meats such as beef or venison, veal has a mild, subtle flavor. In this recipe, the veal is simmered, so the flavor is even milder than it would be if the meat were browned by roasting, sautéing, or braising. For this reason, when choosing seasonings and other supporting flavors, we want to avoid strong flavors that will mask the delicate flavor of the veal. Using white veal stock as a cooking medium reinforces and strengthens the primary flavor. We could use water, but the result would be a less flavorful dish. Brown stock would be too strong for our purpose and would completely change the character of the dish. White chicken stock might be an acceptable substitute, but it wouldn’t reinforce the veal flavor as well. The onion and bouquet garni are added to the stock to give it more depth and fullness of flavor.