"Ossobuco is a Milanese speciality, prepared from cross-cut veal shanks, stewed vegetables (carrots, onion, garlic, tomato), white wine and a broth. The dish is usually covered with Gremolata and served with risotto à la Milanese. Osso buco is Italian for “bone with a hole”, but still containing the bone marrow. There are two ways of preparing this dish: with a tomato or without it (the traditional version).
My Ossobuco is prepared a bit different – I used a red wine instead of the white. I didn’t add any water or stock. Even though the dish contains a lot of wine, the alcohol actually evaporates during the cooking and you don’t taste the wine nor the wine acid. Only the noble and velvety tastes are preserved. Gremolata is fantastic and gives the dish that extra dimension. And for a side dish, my first testers (read: the family) have chosen a creamy polenta with a Parmesan cheese."
My Ossobuco is prepared a bit different – I used a red wine instead of the white. I didn’t add any water or stock. Even though the dish contains a lot of wine, the alcohol actually evaporates during the cooking and you don’t taste the wine nor the wine acid. Only the noble and velvety tastes are preserved. Gremolata is fantastic and gives the dish that extra dimension. And for a side dish, my first testers (read: the family) have chosen a creamy polenta with a Parmesan cheese."
Ingredients:
2-3 pieces of cross-cut veal shanks (Ossobuco)
500 ml red wine
2 middle-size carrots
2 middle-size red onions
2 garlic cloves
3-4 prunes
salt and freshly ground pepper
olive oil
Ingredients for Gremolata:
1-2 garlic cloves
smaller bunch parsley
lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
1 teaspoon olive oil
2-3 pieces of cross-cut veal shanks (Ossobuco)
500 ml red wine
2 middle-size carrots
2 middle-size red onions
2 garlic cloves
3-4 prunes
salt and freshly ground pepper
olive oil
Ingredients for Gremolata:
1-2 garlic cloves
smaller bunch parsley
lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
1 teaspoon olive oil
Method:
- Rinse the meat and dry it. Rub it with spices and leave it to rest for 1 hour at room temperature.
- In a deeper pan sauté the Ossobuco for ½ minute on each side on high temperature, so the meat gets nice brown colour. Use a pan that is suitable for the oven.
- Add diced vegetables and continue to cook, stirring occasionally.
- Pour over the red wine, add a bit more salt and prunes.
- Cover the pan and place it in the oven for 2-3 hours at 160°C (depending on the thickness of the meat). During cooking, don’t open the pan.
- When Ossobuco is cooked, carefully take it out of the pan. With a stick blender puree the vegetables into a smooth sauce. Place the meat back and leave it to rest for 10 minutes for the juices to settle. This part is obligatory! Meanwhile, prepare the gremolata.
- Finely chop garlic, parsley, grate the lemon peel, add 1-2 spoons of olive oil and mix well together. Gremolata shouldn't be too runny or over-oily, it should be quite thick.
- Cook the polenta according to the label instructions. In still hot polenta add a few spoons of butter and a good handful of Parmesan cheese. Stir so the butter and parmesan melt and the polenta becomes nicely creamy.
