Osso Bucco with Risotto Milanese

By McLean

Osso Bucco, in Italian means“Bone with a Hole”. Veal shanks, or Oxtail is seared and then braised in a sauce with red wine, herbs and beef stock. The meat is super tender, and is traditionally served over Risotto. Plan on a few hours of cooking it low and slow. This is a delicious dish, that can be pricey in a restaurant. On my food blog, I show you how to make it yourself.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 8 veal shanks, about 1 1/2 inches thick, tied tightly around the middle with kitchen string OR 6-8 oxtails (my preferred choice)
• 3 cups chopped onions
• 1 1/2 cups diced celery
• 1 1/2 cups diced carrots
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 1/4 cups dry red wine
• 1 1/2 quarts rich veal or beef stock
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil and heat until very hot.

In a shallow bowl or plate combine the flour with salt&pepper and dredge the shanks in the seasoned flour. Shake the shanks to remove any excess flour, then transfer shanks to the pot and cook until well-browned on all sides, working in batches if necessary, 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove the shanks and set aside.

In a Dutch oven, with a lid, add the onions, celery and carrots to the Dutch oven and cook until softened and lightly browned around the edges, 4 to 6 minutes.

Add the garlic, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute.

Deglaze the pot with the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the stock, and bay leaves, and bring to a boil on the stovetop.
Return the meat to the Dutch oven, nesting them together. Cover the Dutch Oven and transfer to the oven. Cook for about 2 1/2 hours, or until the shanks are very tender.

To finish the recipe, I remove the bay leaves (of course). To thicken the sauce, I use about 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch, whisked with about equal water. It is slooowly added in, a bit at a time, until it reaches the thickness that I like.

Serve immediately, 1-2 shanks per person. Serve with either orzo, polenta or my personal favorite—Risotto.

For a Risotto recipe, copy and paste this link: http://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/12139042/risotto-milanese/