Down-to-earth and delicious, this old-school Italian dish is great for entertaining, because it braises away to tenderness while you sit back and enjoy the company of your guests. Serve over creamy polenta or mashed sweet potatoes.
INGREDIENTS
OSSO BUCO:
6 thick (1½-inch/ 4 cm) pieces veal hind shank (about 1.75 kg total)
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
½ tsp each salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil (approx)
1 cup each chopped onion and carrot
⅔ cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp each dried thyme, crumbled dried sage and dried rosemary
¾ cup dry white wine
1½ cups drained canned whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped
½ cup beef broth
2 bay leaves
GREMOLATA:
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
1 clove garlic, minced
DIRECTIONS
OSSO BUCO: Cut six 24-inch (60 cm) lengths of kitchen string; wrap each twice around 1 shank and tie firmly. On plate, combine flour and ¼ tsp each of the salt and pepper; press shanks into flour mixture, turning to coat. Reserve any remaining flour mixture.
In large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat; working in batches if necessary, brown shanks, adding up to 1 tbsp more oil if necessary.
Transfer to separate plate.
Drain any fat from pan; add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, thyme, sage and rosemary. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with any reserved flour mixture; cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add wine, stirring and scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan. Bring to boil; boil until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, broth, bay leaves and remaining salt and pepper.
Nestle shanks in sauce; bring to boil. Cover and cook in 350°F (180°C) oven, basting every 30 minutes, for 1½ hours. Turn shanks and cook, uncovered and basting twice, until tender, about 30 minutes.
Transfer shanks to serving platter; cut off string and keep warm. Place pan over medium-high heat; boil gently, stirring, until desired thickness, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Pour sauce over shanks.
GREMOLATA: While sauce is thickening, stir together parsley, lemon zest and garlic; sprinkle over shanks just before serving.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION, PER SERVING: about 346 cal, 42 g pro, 16 g total fat (5 g sat. fat), 11 g carb, 2 g fibre, 171 mg chol, 576 mg sodium. % RDI: 9% calcium, 25% iron, 36% vit A, 25% vit C, 21% folate.
