Ossobuco alla Milanese

Name: Ossobuco alla Milanese
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 4 pcs Veal shanks; 120 g Wheat flour; 30 ml Olive oil; 85 g Butter; 1 pcs Yellow onion; 1 pcs Carrot; 1 pcs Celery; 1 pcs Fennel; 3 clove Garlic; 2 pcs Orange zest; 1 pcs Marjoram; 1 pcs Bay leaf; 240 ml Dry white wine; 120 ml Chicken broth; 240 ml Canned tomatoes; 30 g Fresh parsley; 5 g Garlic; 5 g Lemon zest; to taste Salt; to taste Black pepper

Tender veal shanks braised with vegetables, white wine and tomatoes until completely tender. A classic Italian dish with an aromatic gremolata made from lemon, garlic and parsley.

Ingredients

4 pcs Veal shanks
120 g Wheat flour
30 ml Olive oil
85 g Butter
1 pcs Yellow onion
1 pcs Carrot
1 pcs Celery
1 pcs Fennel
3 clove Garlic
2 pcs Orange zest
1 pcs Marjoram
1 pcs Bay leaf
240 ml Dry white wine
120 ml Chicken broth
240 ml Canned tomatoes
30 g Fresh parsley
5 g Garlic
5 g Lemon zest
to taste Salt
to taste Black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 150°C.
Pour flour into a shallow plate. Pat the veal shanks dry with paper towels. Season them generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Dredge each shank in flour, then shake off any excess.
In a wide braising pot, heat the olive oil and 15 g of butter over medium heat. Once the butter begins to foam, place the shanks flat side down. If they don't all fit, brown them in batches. Brown each side for 5 minutes until golden. If the oil begins to burn, reduce the heat. Transfer the shanks to a plate.
Pour off the fat from the pot and wipe the bottom with a damp paper towel, taking care to preserve the browned bits. Add the remaining 70 g of butter and melt over medium heat. Once the butter stops foaming, add the diced onion, carrot, celery and fennel. Season with salt and pepper, stir and cook for about 6 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic, orange zest, marjoram and bay leaf, cook for another 1–2 minutes.
Pour in the wine, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring, until the wine has reduced by about half, approximately 5 minutes. Add the broth and canned tomatoes with their juice, return to a boil and simmer until the total volume of liquid is about 240 ml, approximately 10 minutes.
Return the shanks to the pot with the knuckle side up, baste with the accumulated sauce. Cover with parchment paper so that it almost touches the meat. Cover the pot with a lid and place it in the lower part of the oven. After 15 minutes, check: if the liquid is boiling too vigorously, reduce the temperature by 10–15°C. Continue braising, turning the shanks and basting them with sauce every 40 minutes. Cook until the meat is completely tender and begins to separate from the bone, approximately 2 hours.
While the shanks are braising, prepare the gremolata by mixing finely minced garlic, parsley and lemon zest in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a cool place.
When the meat becomes very tender and begins to separate from the bone, remove the lid and sprinkle the shanks with half of the gremolata. Return to the oven without the lid for 15 minutes so the meat browns slightly.
Carefully remove the shanks with a slotted spoon, taking care not to damage them. They will be very tender and may fall apart—this is normal. Transfer them to a serving dish without stacking them and cover with foil to keep warm.
Place the pot with sauce on the stovetop. If there is a layer of fat on the surface, remove it with a spoon. Taste the sauce: if it seems thin, bring to a boil over high heat and simmer for 5–10 minutes to concentrate the flavour. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. If you need some acidity, add 1–2 teaspoons of the remaining gremolata.
Place the shanks on warm plates. Just before serving, sprinkle with the remaining gremolata and generously drizzle with hot sauce—this will bring out the aroma of garlic and lemon. Serve with risotto or mashed potatoes.