Osso Buco Milanese

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3-5 tablespoons olive oil (can use lard or fat rendered from ham); 
• 3 cross cut veal shanks (bone included);
• 2 medium onions;
• 2-3 cloves garlic;
• 1 can pealed tomatoes;
• 50 gr. tomato paste;
• 1-2 medium carrots;
• 1/2 celery root;
• 1 parsnip;
• 1/2 red bell pepper;
• parsley, time, sage (preferably fresh);
• 500 ml red wine (drinkable, dry);
• 1-2 bay leaves;
• salt & pepper.

FOR RISOTTO: 2 cups round grain rice, 1 onion, stock, Parmesan cheese, butter, olive oil, s & p.

HOW TO COOK:

First brown the (well seasoned with salt and pepper) veal shanks in olive oil or pork fat in a Dutch oven type pot, on both cross cut sections. Some people cover the meat in a layer of white flour first. It works just fine without.

Take out the meat and chop up the onions and garlic, then throw them in the same pot to sweat and deglaze the bottom of the pot. Stir well, and after 5 mins. put in the tomato paste and stir another 5 mins. Poor in 300 ml of wine. Drink a glass yourself.  Put the shanks back into the pot and poor stock or water in until it just about covers the meat. Add the crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil and let simmer for an hour.

Add the carrots, celery root, parsnip, red pepper sliced, parsley, time, sage, bay leaves. Add another 200 ml wine. Add more water if the fluids in the pot have reduced under the level of the meat. Simmer for another 2 hours. After that extract from the pot the celery root, parsnip, bay leaves and throw them away.

If the stew has turned into a nice smelling thick sauce, the meat falls of the bone and tears easily  when you try it with a fork, than it is ready.

Serve with any carbs you like (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, polenta etc.) I served it on some milanese risotto, made with the ingredients shown above. It was sensational. Enjoy!