Osso Buco

ossoOsso Buco is really the perfect winter dish.  It is pretty easy too.  This was a winner.

8 veal shanks cut for osso buco

flour

1/4 lb. of proscuitto torn up

2 Spanish Onions chopped

2 large carrots peeled and chopped

4 stalks of celery chopped

1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

2 cups beef broth

2 cup white wine

2 tbsp. tomato paste

2 lemons – use the zest and also thinly slice

6 Bay leaves

2 tsp. dried thyme

Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a large dutch oven cover the bottom with olive oil.   Mix about 1 cup flour with salt, pepper and a little bit of paprika.  Dip each shank into the flour mixture and then brown them in the pan.  Takes a few minutes on each side.  Then set aside.

Add a little more oil and then put in the chopped proscuitto until it get browned.  Happens quickly.  Now add the onions, carrots, celery and lemon zest. Saute until this mixture is soft.  Add in the tomato paste and stir for another few minutes and it is completely incorporated into the vegetables.  Add the wine, beef broth, crushed tomatoes and the bay leaf and thyme (put this either in cheese cloth or a small spice bag) including some salt and pepper to taste.

Then put the veal shanks back into the pot.  Place one piece of sliced lemon on top of each.  Bring to boil, put the lid on and put it in the oven for about 2 hours.  The meat should be almost falling apart.

Serve with a creamy polenta.  Can be made in advance too.  Delicious!

Comments (Archived):

  1. Kevin Donovan

    I think I gained 2 pounds reading today’s post. 🙁

  2. JLM

    .Well played.Your breadth and depth — of your reportage and blogging — is impressive.JLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…

  3. LE

    I’m always curious what you do with your leftovers. I’ve noticed that some prepared meals get better as leftovers (lets say stews, more tender) and others don’t (veal is an example).As a kid we never ever did leftovers (my dad always wanted fresh food it had something to do with his upbringing). When I order in a restaurant I always take into consideration whether something will make a great (what I call “shrinking” leftover [1]). I go for things generally that make good leftovers (except when traveling because it doesn’t matter).[1] It shrinks because you are looking at it when you are “full” at the restaurant. When you go to eat it the next day it’s always smaller because you are hungrier.

    1. Gotham Gal

      I admit I used to be a tosser. Always a new meal every day. Now we keep the leftovers around for a few days in the fridge. Someone is always looking for a little bite or maybe lunch.

      1. LE

        I dated a girl once whose father actually would eat MY leftovers that I brought back when we went out to dinner. I was aghast the first time he did that I thought he was kidding but he just dug in. I never saw something like that. Later, I would actually order things that I knew he would want to eat as leftovers. It kind of made me feel good to see the smile on his face when I showed him his lunch for the next day.

        1. Gotham Gal

          That’s hilarious

          1. LE

            Funny here is another one for you.The Jewish New American’s group, known as “the greenas”, will attend an affair (bar mitzvah, wedding) and wait to write the gift until after they see how good the food is.And another:My cousins are orthodox. And they are very in to making a “nice affair”. Because appearance is everything in this group. So years ago when one of their son’s was bar mitzvahed it was held in Philly but they wanted it to be a glatt kosher affair so they had a caterer from NYC brought in. It was held at the Ben Franklin hotel in Philly. For some reason the health department didn’t like something and they couldn’t use the ovens. So they had to cook (I am not kidding about this) steak using STERNO (I was there and it did happen). We didn’t eat until midnight. And this is a group of people that were primarily holocaust survivors. You can’t imagine the stress that they family felt that night with the old timers waiting to be fed. At midnight. How was the glatt kosher steak? Try cooking with sterno and find out for yourself!