Osso Bucco

Osso Bucco is the fancy Italian way of saying braised veal shanks. This is a cut of meat that is rich in sinew and connective tissue, that when cooked properly (ie, low and slow), literally falls off the bone and melts in your mouth. And for true foodies, once the meat is done, you can scoop the marrow out of the bone and enjoy that as the final delicacy. (Vegetarians will probably shudder at this last paragraph).

Home cooks often think this is a restaurant-only meal and they couldn't be more wrong. It's actually quite easy to make at home, and a heck-of-a-lot cheaper than the restaurant versions that often fetch top dollar, even though it's not an expensive cut of meat. My local supermarkets carry Catelli Brothers veal, http://www.catellibrothers.com/, and often have shanks, but if you don't see them in the meat cases, ask the butcher at your supermarket if they have any or can order them for you. Chances are, they are hiding in the back cases, waiting for smart consumers to ask for them.

This is a great meal to make for company as it looks VERY fancy but is really easy -- it doesn't take very long to prepare, but it does take a while to cook, so make sure you start preparing this at least three hours before you want to serve.

Ingredients:

6 veal shanks
1 large onion
4 large garlic cloves
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup shredded or finely diced carrots
1 cup dry white wine
28 ounces of crushed tomatoes (1 large can)
2-3 teaspoons of tomato paste (optional)
2 tablespoons of fresh oregano (or 1 tbsp. of dried oregano)
2 tablespoons of fresh basil (or 1 tbsp. of dried basil)
salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Directions:

In a dutch over, or some other large, thick bottomed pan, heat the olive oil until it starts to smoke. As soon as it does, turn down the heat to medium. Season the veal shanks with salt and pepper on both sides, and place them into the oil (gently so as not to splash yourself!), and let them sit for 4-5 minutes until they get nice and browned. Then flip them over and do the same.

Remove the shanks from the pan and place on a plate. The bottom of the pan should have some nice brown bits clinging to the pan -- add the onions, carrots and garlic on top of this, along with a pinch of salt so that the veggies will release their natural juices. Stir these around in the oil and brown bits, letting the juices from the onions dissolve and pick up the bits from the pan. Add a splash or two more of olive oil if needed.

Once the onion, carrots and garlic are nice and soft and slightly browned, add the white wine and let it cook until it reduces in half. Then add all the remaining ingredients except for the tomato paste, stir till it's well incorporated, and starts to bubble. Do NOT add more salt and pepper at this point.

Turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible, return the shanks and all their juices to the pot, and cover tightly. (If your pan does not seal tightly, use a double layer of aluminum foil.) Alternatively, you can put all of this into a baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and cook in your oven for 2.5 hours at 250 degrees.

After 2.5 hours, you can do one of two things-- if you prefer a more rustic sauce, simply put the osso bucco on a plate with a generous spoonful of sauce over it. (I love to serve it over a few pieces of polenta, but you could also serve it over pasta, risotto, or mashed potatoes). If you prefer a more refined sauce, after gently removing the shanks (remember, they'll fall apart pretty easily by now), put the sauce through a fine strainer. Return to a pot, add the tomato paste, and stir till it's well incorporated and heated through. Taste either version of the sauce before serving and add more salt or pepper if needed.

In either case, feel free to garnish with any combination of fresh basil, oregano or Italian flat-leaf parsley. You could also sprinkle a bit of crumbled feta or ricotta salata cheese over the top of this dish for extra zing.