Ossobuco alla Milanese
Ossobuco, literally "bone with a hole," is a dish of veal shanks braised in white wine and chicken stock. It's one of the most well known Lombard dishes and is often paired with saffron risotto. I couldn't very well visit Lombard cuisine and not make ossobuco, but we don't eat veal. Several recipe writers suggested to use short ribs instead, but this sufficiently altered the dish that I can't really judge it fairly. As a short rib dish, it was the weakest I've ever cooked (it really needed red wine), and the lack of marrow from the bones failed to give the dish the umami I expected (the tomato paste alone just didn't cut it).
PRINT PDF
Ossobuco alla Milanese
Ingredients
- 4 pieces of cross-cut veal shank or 4-5 lbs beef/pork/lamb shanks, oxtails or beef short ribs
- flour for dusting
- salt and pepper to taste
- olive oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 celery sticks, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, 1 sliced and 1 minced
- 1 sprig of thyme or ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/4 cups white wine
- 2 - 4 cups chicken or beef stock, hot
- 1/3 oz dried porcini mushrooms (optional)
- 1/3 bunch parsley, finely chopped
- Grated zest from 1 lemon
Directions
Pat dry veal shanks. In a small bowl, combine the flour with salt and pepper to taste. Lightly dust the veal shanks with the seasoned flour and set aside.
Heat a large saucepan or sauté pan over high heat. Add the a thin layer of olive oil. Add the veal shanks and brown on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Turn heat to medium. Add a dash of olive oil to the pan. Add the onion, celery, carrot and sliced garlic. Season with salt and sauté until soft. Add the thyme, bay leaf and tomato paste and stir for two minutes.
Return the meat to the pan. Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the wine is reduced by a third. Pour in the hot broth. Add the dried mushrooms, if using. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, until the beat is tender - 2 to 3 hours.
Meanwhile, mix the parsley with the minced garlic and the lemon zest.
Serve the ossobuco with the parsley mixture on top.
|
Adapted from a recipe at Great Italian Chefs
Do you have a comment on this recipe? Please make it here
Lombard Recipes | Marga's International Recipes | Marga's Best Recipes | Marga's Food Blog | E-mail
|