Osso Bucco

By exdircomp

Serve with polenta, risotto, or mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

• Gremolata:
• 1/4 pound pancetta, diced 1/4 inch cubes (do not substitute bacon)
• 6 osso buco, 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
• 2 carrots
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• Pinch crushed red pepper
• 3/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 cups dry white wine or a bottle of 1 bottle Amarone (this is a rich red italianwine)
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 thyme bundle
• 3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can low-sodium beef broth with red wine use chicken broth with white wine ( If you have veal stock use that instead of chicken or beef
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole San Marzano tomatoes, hand-crushed
• 1 orange or lemon, zested
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish

Preparation

Step 1

Directions
Heat a dutch oven on the stove top over medium heat for about five minutes. Add pancetta to pan, cook, stirring occasionally. When the pancetta is crispy and most of the fat has rendered (about 5 minutes of cooking), remove the pancetta to a plate covered with some paper towel and set aside. If necessary, drain off all but two tablespoons of the fat from the pan. Season the osso buco generously with salt. Add olive oil if needed. Bring the pan to a high heat and add the osso buco to the pan and brown them very well on all sides.


In a food processor puree the onion, celery,carrot, fennel, and garlic to a coarse paste. If you prefer you may dice the vegetables instead of putting in food processor. 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 broth 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, Add the tomatoes and stir everything together, 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. Add 3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped 1 tablespoon lemon zest.
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: Combine orange or lemon zest, finely chopped fresh parsley leaves, garlic, minced
freshly grated horseradish in a small bowl.