OSSO BUCO ALLA MILANESE
Braised or oven roasted veal shanks with vegetables.
Serves: 6 as an entree course. Osso Buco is tender, flavorful and delicious. If you enjoy bone marrow, you will also have another treat in store for you. It's marrow is delicious.
Osso Buco is traditionally served with a Gremolata condiment and Rice Milanese.
Osso Buco may be prepared up to 2 days in advance, cooled, tightly wrapped and refrigerated. Or, it may be frozen up to 30 days in advance.
BASIC INGREDIENTS
- 6 Veal shanks, cut 2" thick. Preferably hind shanks.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Flour for dredging.
- 2 Tbs. Unsalted butter.
- 2 Tbs. Olive oil.
- 1 1/4 Cups coarsely chopped onion.
- 3/4 Cup coarsely chopped celery.
- 3/4 Cup Coarsely chopped carrot.
- 1/2 Cup Thinly sliced mushrooms, your choice.
- 1 Tbs. Minced garlic.
- 1 16 oz. can tomatoes, drained and Coarsely chopped.
- 2 Cups Veal or chicken stock.
- 1 1/2 Cups dry white wine. Dry vermouth works very well.
- 1 Tbs. Tomato paste.
- 2 Bay leaves.
- 1/2 Tsp. crumbled sage.
- 1/2 Tsp. crumbled rosemary.
- 1/2 Tsp. crumbled thyme.
- 1/2 Tsp. crumbled basil.
GREMALATA CONDIMENT
- 1/2 Tbs. Lemon zest, finely chopped or grated.
- 1/4 Cup Parsley, finely chopped.
- 1 Tsp. Minced garlic.
PREPARATION
- Sprinkle the shanks with salt and pepper to taste.
- Dredge in flour and shake-off excess.
- Heat a large heavy fry-pan over medium high heat. Add olive oil and butter.
- When hot, add shanks and brown evenly on all sides.
- When shanks have browned, remove from pan and reserve.
- Add chopped onion, carrot, celery and garlic to pan and saute until soft. About 3 to 5 minutes. Do not brown.
- Add and stir-in tomatoes, veal or chicken stock, white wine or vermouth and tomato paste.
- Add and stir-in all of the basic ingredient herbs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 2 minutes.
- Return to the boil and place shanks, flat side down in pan. If shanks are not "just barely covered" with liquid, add a little extra stock or water. Return to the boil, cover pan and reduce heat to a simmer.
- You now have 2 cooking options; continue simmering on top of the stove or place in a pre-heated 350°F. oven.
- Shanks should be cooked well done, tender and almost falling off the bones in 1 1/2 to 2 hours, using either cooking method.
- When ready to serve place pan contents into a serving dish, at least 1 1/2" deep. Then sprinkle the Gremolata evenly over the top.
