Meat is essential in our family. We don’t get full if there isn’t some kind of meat in the meal. That’s why everyone in our family enjoys 3 digit cholesterol levels.
My father always remembers my grandfather by saying “He was very strong, he was like Hercules and he could eat one whole lamb with his shepherd!!” Or take my uncle. After having a heart attack at 40 and getting an operation, his heart celebrated the 10th year anniversary with another attack at 50 since he continued to eat mindlessly. But wait, don’t think that he was wiser later. He said “I can have an attack/operation every 10 year and continue eating whatever I want!”
So, may be sad but true, good meat is always very appreciated in our family and recipes like this are ridiculously celebrated. I’m sure I’d make my grandfather proud with this one.
In Italian Osso Bucco means bone with a hole and it is a specialty meal of cross-cut shanks. A shank cut is the animal’s leg. Although it is very flavorful, because of all the muscles it’s one of the toughest cuts of meat out there. So, it enjoys slow cooking and braising and promises you a feast in return to your care and patience .
This was utterly delicious. The meat just peels away from the bone and almost melts in your mouth. So silky, insanely flavorful. Preparation is easy and does not take much time but it’s a long cooking process. So, you might prefer to enjoy this on weekends, holidays. It is well worth it. You will be hooked.
Recipe is from Anne Burrell. I love her shows. She makes everything sound very yummy. Plus her recipes are dead on most of the time. Traditionally it is served with risotto alla milanese, but I just served it with some bulghur pilaf and roasted peppers. Enjoy with love!!
(recipe from Anne Burell)
6 osso bucco (shank from veal, beef or lamb) tied equatorially with string
Kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
1 fennel bulb, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed
Pinch crushed red pepper
3/4 cup tomato paste
2 cups dry white wine
3 bay leaves
1 fresh thyme bundle
Gremolata, recipe follows (to garnish)
Directions
Tie the shanks with kitchen twine so that they do not get apart while cooking. Season them generously with salt.
Coat a wide, flat pan generously with olive oil. Bring the pan to a high heat and add the meat to the pan and brown them very well on all sides.
In a food processor puree the onion, celery, fennel, and garlic to a coarse paste. When the osso buco is well browned on all sides, remove from the pan and reserve. Ditch the excess oil from the pan and add a little new oil and bring to a high heat. Add the veggies to the pan with a pinch of crushed red pepper, season with salt, and brown them very well. Do not skimp on this step – it will take awhile, and that’s ok. Add the tomato paste and cook until it starts to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the wine and reduce by half.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Return the osso buco to the pan. Add water so the liquid becomes even with top of the meat. Taste the liquid and season with salt 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 osso buco for 1 hour. Pull the pan out of the oven and check the liquid level and the seasoning. Add more liquid, if needed, return the pan to the oven, and cook for another hour.
Remove the lid and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, remove the osso buco, and hold on a serving platter. Skim the fat off the surface of the sauce, if needed. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning.
Remove the string from the osso buco. Serve the osso buco with sauce spooned over. Garnish with Gremolata. Serve with a demitasse spoon to scoop out the marrow.
Gremolata:
1 orange, zested
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
Gosh, i need to try this recipe this week! Great job
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