A delicious Corsican Veal Stew recipe, more Italian - Mediterranean in style than the French creamy Blanquette classic. Slowly cooked with tomatoes, white wine, garlic, onions and red bell peppers, this is also great reheated next day and served with noodles or polenta. Don't have veal? It works just as well with chicken or beef.
I'm almost 80 year old widow who loves to cook even just for myself. The Corsican veal stew is cooking right now and smells amazing. ok even put the bones in the pan that I cut the meat from. Thank you for this web site. I will be back often, I love French food. - Sandie
Corsica - the Island of Beauty in the Mediterranean
As you may know, my husband is from the beautiful island of Corsica and so we often join his parents at the family house in the Corsican mountain village, which winds for about 20 km from Corte. Believe me, in winter it can either be mild or even much colder than in the North of France - even Scotland!
Spending Christmas there, we usually snake down the long winding road to Corte to pick up a few things for the reveillon dinner: fresh oysters, a few baguettes, and a greedy few logs of Bûches de Noël from Grimaldi's pâtisserie to keep the family sweetly content over a couple of days. If the weather is cold enough, we'll even enjoy a Vacherin ice cream cake. But I digress...
What is the Difference Between Beef and Veal Stew?
With bells peeling, a crouched elderly Corsican woman dressed head to foot in black scuttled into her house just after I took this shot of the Church. She must have been running in to check on her beef stew (known as a Stufadu in Corsica), as I could smell the most gorgeous fragrance wafting from the front door. The most well known Corsican Stufadu is made with beef and dried porcini mushrooms.
While Stufadu is made with beef, this is veal (from the calf) which is particularly popular in Europe - namely France, Corsica, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Germany and Austria in particular. If it's not easy to find where you are, then this can be made with either beef or chicken.
Is this Like the French Blanquette Veal Stew?
This veal stew is nothing like the creamy veal stew with lemon zest. Known as Blanquette de Veau, you don't brown the meat. This Corsican-style veal stew browns the veal first, then simmers with white wine, tomatoes, garlic and peppers- sunny and Mediterranean comfort food rather than creamy-classic.
The olives and herbs make it: thyme, rosemary, bay leaf: les herbes du maquis. They're the island's signature (Napoleon said he could recognise the scent with his eyes closed). Skip them and you miss the point.
Think closer to Monkfish stew (Lotte à l'Armoricaine) in spirit - tomato, wine, garlic - only with veal, sweet peppers and bolder herbs.
What is the Secret to a Tender Veal Stew?
Our local French butcher taught me early on: never blast veal on high heat; treat it gently. Cut the meat into small chunks so it tenderises faster and stays succulent.
- Lightly brown the veal on all sides to a pale gold, then remove it.
- Soften onions, garlic and bell peppers in the juices with a little olive oil (not butter).
- Return the veal, deglaze with dry white wine, add tomatoes, then simmer gently, covered, for 1½-2 hours and smell the wonderful aromas in your kitchen.
With this much sauce, a longer, slow simmer only improves its texture and flavours. Finish with a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley - even a little mint, what I use to make this typical Corsican mint omelette.
Corsican Veal Stew, Napoleon Style
Adapted from Rolli Lucarotti's book, "Recipes from Corsica", it's one of my favourite Corsican cookbooks. This Corsican veal stew with peppers nods to Veau Marengo: veal simmered with white wine, tomatoes and sweet peppers. My tweaks:
- A little more white wine so it won't dry out
- Red and yellow peppers (not green)
- Extra garlic
- Some green olives if you fancy
- A light thickener (flour or cornstarch for gluten-free)
Use the best veal you can. To echo Corsica's maquis, be generous with fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, oregano), and add a pinch of cayenne or smoked paprika for warmth. Like all good stews, it's even better reheated the next day.
How to Serve Veal Stew Leftovers
Although great with crusty bread, the tomato sauce in this hearty stew means it's great served with pasta. Enjoy this with Penne or with these homemade fresh noodles. For something even more Corsican, serve with a cheesy, creamy corn polenta.
The Bonus? It freezes so well that I make double quantities: freeze half or freeze in small batches so that it's so easy to whip up a home-cooked weekday dinner. Just reheat on the stove, serve with pasta and add some fresh herbs before serving.
Corsican Veal Stew with Peppers
Equipment
- Dutch oven or casserole dish with lid
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg (2.5lb) Veal shoulder, off the bone (or ask for "Blanquette" in France)
- 50 g (3 tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion roughly chopped
- 3 bell peppers seeded and cut into chunks
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 4 tomatoes, chopped (or a tin chopped Italian tomatoes)
- 1 bouquet garni (bay leaf, 2 sprigs each thyme/rosemary & parsley)
- 37.5 cl (half bottle) White wine
- 1 tablespoon green olives (optional)
- good pinch cayenne pepper (or smoked paprika)
- Salt, pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh flat parsley (to serve) finely chopped
Instructions
- Trim the veal of any fat and cut into 5cm (2-inch) cubes then coat lightly in the flour. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick Dutch oven or casserole dish with a lid.
- Add the meat and sauté over a medium heat for about 10 minutes until very lightly browned (read golden) on all sides. Remove from the pan, leaving as many juices as you can, and set aside.
- In the same pan, fry the onion and peppers until soft. Add the chopped garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes.
- Return the meat plus juices back to the pan, adding the tomato, herbs and wine. Season with salt and pepper and add the cayenne and olives, if using. Bring to the boil briefly then immediately turn down the heat.
- Cover and simmer for about 2 hours. Remove the herbs before serving and add the freshly chopped parsley to serve.
Notes
This recipe post was originally published 27 January 2017 but is now completely updated.
Sandie
I'm an almost 80 year old widow who loves to cook even just for myself. The Corsicana veal stew is cooking right now and smells amazing. ok even put the bones in the pan that I cut the meat from. Thank you for this web site. I will be back often, I love French food.
Jill Colonna
I can just about smell your stew from here, Sandie. So happy you like it and thank you for your lovely words. I'm happy you'll try the other recipes too. If you love Corsican, I have a few - more to come! Jillx
Karen Takeno
Enjoyed this veal stew! Added a good glug of red wine and then left overnight. Will definitely make this again. Thank you for sharing.
Jill Colonna
So glad you enjoyed it and will be making again, Karen. Hope the next time it merits 5 stars. Never made it with red wine, as normally it's with white wine - and agree it tastes even better next day!
Linda Diehl
This looks amazing, I am going to make tomorrow but with chicken. Is there a certain kind of white wine I should use?
Jill Colonna
Hi Linda,
No particular white wine - just a nice enough one that you'd actually drink! I'd go for something Italian or Corsican or a wine in the sun to conjure up a taste of Corsica. Enjoy the stew!
David
Did I see this on Instagram? I think I did – and I think it made me start salivating right away. The one thing I have not made since our move to Tucson is anything with I veal shoulder. It seems impossible to find here. But I'm going to try again, because I want to make this soon, Jill!
Jill Colonna
Hi David - yes it was on IG. And I understand veal isn't that easy to find but in France and Italy it's so popular, so I hope you don't mind me posting this. Hope you try it as it really is worth it!
David Scott Allen
I still can’t find veal, but I think doing it with chicken or pork would be just perfect. Thanks for reminding me about this recipe; I hope to make it this winter.
Jill Colonna
Yes, it works well with chicken and pork is also a great idea - goes well with the peppers and olives. Enjoy, David x
Christina
Another lovely wintertime meal, Jill! This is totally comfort food and I love that it can be frozen for 2 meals in 1!
I really enjoyed your description of the Corsican village scene; it reminded me of where my mum grew up. Thanks for sharing all your wonderful travel experiences and fabulous recipes! You're a gem!
Jill Colonna
Thanks so much, Christina. Your adorable words are motivation ++
I have so much more to share about Corsica but I'm afraid I'd have to change my name 😉
Tonio
Absolutely scrumptious ! Genuine food of yours as always...
Jill Colonna
Thanks so much, Tonio. Pleasure!