VENISON OSSO BUCO w/ORANGE FENNEL BROTH

By BobD

Ingredients

• 4 SERVINGS
• Venison Osso Buco with Orange-Fennel Broth with Celery Root Purée
• Served over a luscious celery root purée, and topped with a full-flavored reduced broth-with glazed pearl onions, and dried cherries. Add a generous spoonful of minted baby peas for color.
• • 8 venison osso buco
• • 3 carrots, chopped
• • 3 stalks celery, chopped
• • 2 onions, chopped
• • 1 large fennel bulb with fronds, chopped, reserve 4 small fronds for garnish Grated zest of 1 orange
• • 1 bay leaf
• • 1 sprig fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dry thyme leaves
• • 12 whole black peppercorns
• • 1 750-ml bottle full-bodied red wine
• • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• • 11/2 tablespoons olive oil
• • 2 cups orange juice
• • 1 quart venison or chicken stock
• • 2 ounces duck & veal demi-glace
• • 1/4 cup sun-dried cherries soaked in 2 tablespoons brandy for 1 hour, to garnish
• • 20 caramelized pearl onions, blanched, peeled and sautéed with butter and sugar, to garnish

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from dartagnan.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Combine venison shanks, carrots, celery, onions, fennel, orange zest, bay leaf, thyme, black peppercorns, and red wine in a large non-reactive bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

2. Separate shanks, vegetables, and wine. Blot shanks dry, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Heat olive oil in a large, deep pan with a tight-fitting lid, over high heat until almost smoking. Sear osso buco until brown on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from pan. Add vegetables and sauté until brown, over medium-high heat, about 7 minutes.

4. Pour orange juice and reserved red wine into pan, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a boil, and reduce by half. Return osso buco to pan, and add enough stock to just cover. Add demi-glace. Bring liquid to a boil, then cover and reduce heat so liquid barely simmers. Cook gently until shanks are tender, approximately 1½ hours.

5. Meanwhile, prepare Celery Root Purée (below), and keep warm.

6. Remove osso buco and cover loosely. Bring braising liquid to a boil, and reduce by half, about 15 minutes. Strain and check seasonings. Spoon celery root purée in the center of 4 warmed dinner plates. Put 2 osso buco on purée, and spoon a little broth over shanks. Pour the remainder around the outside of plate. Garnish with cherries and pearl onions. Add reserved fennel fronds, and serve.

Celery Root Puree
Ingredients

• 1½ pound each potatoes and celery root, peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Salt and white pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cover potato and celery root with salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until completely tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, and pass through a food mill or potato ricer. Because of the celery root, you can also pulse this in a food processor, but do so as quickly as possible. Add butter and season with salt and pepper.