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AAF’s Recipe of the Day

As promised, here comes the Osso Bucco in all its splendour.

For 4 to 6 persons you will need at least a kilo (plus) of veal shanks (say 3 pieces per person). Ask your butcher to cut them about one inch thick or less, but not thicker than that. Have some plain all purpose four on hand. 50 gr of butter (or a large knob) 4 garlic cloves, crushed, 2 large onions, finely cut, 2 large carrots, cut into cubes, 2 celery sticks, cut like the carrots, 1 pint of beef stock (or chicken stock), 1 half pint of dry white wine, 1 pint of tomato passata (or a tin of peeled tomatoes of 400 gr), a handful of flat parsley, chopped up, the grated zests of 1 lemon and 1 orange, salt &pepper to taste.

Dust the veal shanks lightly with flour. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the veal, and cook until browned on the outside. Remove to a bowl, and keep warm (a towel on top will do the trick). Add the cloves of crushed garlic and onion to the skillet; cook and stir until onion is tender. Return the veal to the pan and mix in the carrot, celery and (dry) white wine. Simmer for 15 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes and beef stock, the lemon & orange zests and season with salt and pepper. Cover, and simmer over low heat for 1 1/2 hours, basting the veal every 15 minutes or so. The meat should be tender, but not falling off the bone. Add the parsley towards the end and serve with orzo pasta (the one that looks like grains of rice) or lentils, or beans, or ….you know what you want but personally, orzo is the go for me.