My Award Winning Osso Buco Recipe

"Osso Buco" is a hearty dish originating in Milan, Italy in the late 1800's. Basically it is the cross-cut section of veal shank which is braised with vegetables, white wine and broth. Traditionally, it is garnished with “Gremolata” and served with “Risotto alla Milanese”. It has become one of my signature dishes over the years and of course, everything I do usually involves a culinary twist. So here's mine .. I hope you enjoy making and eating my award winning “Osso Bucco”.

Here's what you need ..

4 2 ½-inch tall Veal Shanks

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 large Onion .. coarsely chopped
3 Celery Ribs .. coarsely chopped
1 Fennel Bulb .. coarsely chopped
3 cloves Garlic .. smashed
Pinch Crushed Red Pepper
¾-cup Tomato Paste .. (Cento)
2 cups dry White Wine .. (Orvieto)

Chicken Stock

Water
3 Bay Leaves
1 fresh Thyme Bundle

Coarse Ground Black Pepper

Kosher Salt

Here's what you do ..

Tie the veal shanks tightly and equatorially with string. Usually two strings per shank will suffice. Season them generously with salt pepper.
Coat a “French Oven” generously with olive oil. I love using “La Creuset” for all my braising dishes. However, any lidded, oven proof dutch oven style pan will suffice.

Bring the pan to high heat. Once there, add the veal shanks to the pan and brown them on all sides. Being careful not to knock the strings off,
In your food processor, gotta love my “Kitchenaid”, puree the onion, celery, fennel, and garlic to a coarse paste. When the veal shank is well browned on all sides, remove it from the pan and reserve. Toss the excess oil from the pan and add a little new oil and bring it back up to a high heat. Add the veggies with a pinch of crushed red pepper, season with salt, and brown them very well. This is the most important step in making not only a perfect braising liquid, but the first step in most Italian sauce recipes! This step will take awhile, 20 to 30 minutes or more. You want to “brown” the veggies. Browned food tastes good!

Next, add the tomato paste and cook until it starts to brown as well, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the wine and reduce by it half. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Return the veal shanks to the pan. Add enough chicken stock so the liquid becomes even with top of the meat. Taste the liquid and season if needed. Add in the bay leaves and thyme bundle. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover, and put the whole pan in the oven.
Cook the veal shanks for 1 hour. Pull the pan out of the oven and check the liquid level and the seasoning. Add water, if needed, return the pan to the oven, and cook for another hour.
Remove the lid and cook for 30 minutes. After that time, take the pan from the oven, remove the veal shanks, and hold them on a serving platter. Skim the fat off the surface of the sauce, but only if needed. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning.
Remove the string from the veal shanks. Serve the “Osso Buco” with sauce spooned over. Garnish with my “Apple Parsley Salad”.

Here's what you need ..

1 Apple .. thinly sliced into fingers
½-cup Parsley Leaves .. finely chopped
1 Garlic Clove .. minced

Dressing

3-tbs Honey

1 ½-tbs Rice Wine Vinegar

¼-cup Mayonnaise

1-tsp Dijon Mustard

dash of Sesame Oil

3-tbs Pistachios

Here's what you do ..

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients stir and pile a small amount on each veal shank and a sprinkle of pistachios*

In the photo, I used “Cauliflower Puree” to win the award. Traditionally though, “Risotto alla Milanese” is the side of choice.

For more information go to facebook.com/BaldFoodie