Osso Buco
Traditionally, this dish is made with veal shanks, but a less expensive and more compassionate choice is beef shank. We also broke with tradition by serving it over polenta, rather than risotto. Unfortunately, we gobbled this down too quickly to take a photo of it, but here are Osso Buco pics on Flickr.
- Olive oil
- 1/2 cup each of finely chopped celery, carrot, and onion
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2-4 pieces of beef (or veal) shank
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup beef stock
- 3 cups chopped canned tomatoes
- Seasoning: we used 1 tablespoon of a “Tuscan blend” of herbs from our garden last summer (basil, parsley, fennel, thyme, and oregano), and a bay leaf. If you didn’t happen to grow these herbs in your garden last summer, you can add 1 tsp. of dried thyme, 1 tsp. of parsley, and 1 tsp. of basil, along with the bay leaf.
Saute’ the vegetables in a large Dutch oven in 1 tbsp of olive oil until soft. In a frying pan, brown the meat on all sides; add to the Dutch oven. Remove from heat. Preheat the oven at 350 degrees.
Pour the wine into the frying pan and boil until reduced by half. Add the herbs, tomatoes, and broth, and return to a boil. Pour over the meat in the Dutch oven. The mixture should cover the meat; if it doesn’t, add more broth. Bring the Dutch oven to a boil on the stovetop, then cover and transfer it to the oven.
Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, basting occasionally, and making sure the dish remains simmering. When the meat is tender, remove it from the oven. Serve by pouring warm polenta or risotto onto a plate, then arranging a piece of meat on top. Spoon the sauce over the plate.
Serves 2-4
