This recipe is actually extremely easy to make (not sure why I thought it wouldn't be). 4 hours from start to finish, your hands on time is less than an hour. The smells that fill your house after are amazing and you tend to watch the clock waiting for supper.
First you sear the veal shanks - 4 minutes per side. I never used to do this with meat - I was always trying to save an extra 10 minutes. I can tell you I was completely wrong with this - by searing you lock the juices into the cut of meat. The flavour and juiciness of all my braised/roasted meat dishes have increased substantially.
Then in the juices from the veal you cook the vegetables. Add the chicken stock, wine and tomatoes. And the other key is to not cook with a wine you wouldn't drink. Now, I wouldn't necessarily go with a $20 bottle to cook with. If you can find something in the $11 - $13 range that tastes decent then you are doing great. I used a Chilean Chardonnay Reserve... $11.89.
Once you are done and have the veal in the oven, prepare the gremolata. It's a nice touch that you don't always see with osso bucco. Once you are done that, pour yourself a glass of the leftover wine and go read a book - you don't do anything for another 2 1/2 hours!
Traditional side dishes for Osso Bucco are either risotto milanese (saffron) or soft polenta. I didn't feel like either yesterday so opted for mashed potatoes (to show my love for Valentine's Day). The meat is fall off the bone tender. Be sure to use a spatula to lift the meat out of the roasting pan or it will fall away from the bone. No knife is required for this meal!We rounded off our Valentine's Day menu with a 1998 Brunello we had bought a few months ago. What a fabulous wine...and a steal at the Costco liquor store!
Osso Bucco - adapted from Food and Wine
Ingredients
8 meaty veal shanks, cut 1 1/2 inches thick (7 pounds)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice
6 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 onions, cut into 1/4-inch dice
6 garlic cloves—4 whole, 2 minced
3 bay leaves
4 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
2 cups dry white wine
One 15-ounce can diced Italian tomatoes
6 thyme sprigs
Two 2 1/2-inch strips orange zest, minced
Two 2 1/2-inch strips lemon zest, minced
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°. Season the veal shanks with salt and pepper. In a very large, deep skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil until shimmering. Working in batches, cook the veal over moderately high heat until browned on both sides, about 8 minutes total per batch. Transfer the osso buco to a large roasting pan.
Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet. Add the diced carrots, celery, onions, 4 whole garlic cloves and the bay leaves and cook over moderate heat until they are softened, about 12 minutes. Add the chicken stock, white wine, diced tomatoes and thyme sprigs and bring to a boil. Pour the vegetables and liquid over the veal, cover the roasting pan with foil and transfer to the oven. Braise the shanks for about 2 1/2 hours, until very tender.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the orange zest, lemon zest, parsley and the 2 minced garlic cloves. Lightly season the gremolata with salt and pepper.
Transfer the veal shanks to a baking sheet and cover with foil. Carefully strain the cooking liquid into a large bowl. Reserve the vegetables; discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Pour the cooking liquid back into the roasting pan and boil over high heat until it is reduced by half, about 25 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Stir in the reserved vegetables and simmer over moderately low heat for 2 minutes. Transfer the osso buco to shallow bowls. Spoon the sauce and vegetables on top and sprinkle lightly with the gremolata. Serve with the remaining gremolata at the table.
Make Ahead
The osso buco can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Osso Bucco - adapted from Food and Wine Ingredients
8 meaty veal shanks, cut 1 1/2 inches thick (7 pounds)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice
6 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 onions, cut into 1/4-inch dice
6 garlic cloves—4 whole, 2 minced
3 bay leaves
4 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
2 cups dry white wine
One 15-ounce can diced Italian tomatoes
6 thyme sprigs
Two 2 1/2-inch strips orange zest, minced
Two 2 1/2-inch strips lemon zest, minced
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°. Season the veal shanks with salt and pepper. In a very large, deep skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil until shimmering. Working in batches, cook the veal over moderately high heat until browned on both sides, about 8 minutes total per batch. Transfer the osso buco to a large roasting pan.
Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet. Add the diced carrots, celery, onions, 4 whole garlic cloves and the bay leaves and cook over moderate heat until they are softened, about 12 minutes. Add the chicken stock, white wine, diced tomatoes and thyme sprigs and bring to a boil. Pour the vegetables and liquid over the veal, cover the roasting pan with foil and transfer to the oven. Braise the shanks for about 2 1/2 hours, until very tender.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the orange zest, lemon zest, parsley and the 2 minced garlic cloves. Lightly season the gremolata with salt and pepper.
Transfer the veal shanks to a baking sheet and cover with foil. Carefully strain the cooking liquid into a large bowl. Reserve the vegetables; discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Pour the cooking liquid back into the roasting pan and boil over high heat until it is reduced by half, about 25 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Stir in the reserved vegetables and simmer over moderately low heat for 2 minutes. Transfer the osso buco to shallow bowls. Spoon the sauce and vegetables on top and sprinkle lightly with the gremolata. Serve with the remaining gremolata at the table.
Make Ahead
The osso buco can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
I've never made this before, but I've always wanted to - it looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteLooks terrific, Cathy! I have never made it either, but Id like to try.
ReplyDelete