Recipe of the Week: Osso Buco
September 15, 2011As summer gives way to fall, I begin to crave one of my all-time favourite meals – OSSO BUCO! This version offers a French twist to an Italian recipe, so delicious you're sure to win someone's heart :)
WARNING! Make sure you wear loose clothing because this meal will have you craving more and more and more… enjoy!
OSSO BUCO WITH RED WINE
Ingredients for 6 servings
· 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
· Six 2-inch-thick meaty veal shanks
· 1-inch-thick piece of Italian pancetta, cut into 1/4 –inch dice
· Salt and freshly ground pepper
· 2 large carrots, cut into 1/2 -inch dice
· 1 medium onion, cut into 1/2 -inch dice
· 1 celery rib, cut into 1/2 -inch dice
· 8 mushrooms, cut in half or whole
· 4 pieces of dried porcini mushrooms
· 2 garlic cloves, minced
· 1 cup dry red wine, such as Barbera or Chianti
· 1/3 cup Brandy or Cognac
· 1 cup chicken stock, or canned low-sodium broth
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 325°. Heat the olive oil in a large enameled cast-iron casserole. Season the veal shanks with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat until browned, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer the shanks to a plate.
Add the carrots, onion, celery, garlic, pancetta and mushrooms to the casserole. Reduce the heat to moderately low and cook, stirring, until tender, about 7 minutes. Add the wine, brandy and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock, dried porcini mushrooms and bring to a simmer over high heat.
Return the shanks to the casserole, nestling them into the vegetables; add any accumulated juices. Cover the casserole and braise the shanks in the oven for 1 hour. Turn the shanks, cover and cook for about 1 hour longer, until the meat is very tender.
PERSONAL SUGGESTION: Try serving this recipe with homemade Italian Pappardelle pasta. Cook the pasta in a separate pot/pan. When the pasta is ready, simply remove the cooked osso buco from the casserole and place in a separate plate. Then place the cooked pappardelle in the ‘jus’ (sauce) and stir. Serve the pappardelle with a piece of the osso buco. Simply delicious!
MAKE AHEAD The osso buco can be refrigerated overnight and reheated, covered, in a 325° oven.
WINE PAIRING:
Serve a red that echoes the wine in the osso buco and stands up to the mushrooms and pancetta. A good choice would be a Barbera d'Asti.
0 comments