Recipe of the Month - Osso Buco
Serves 61.5kg veal shin, cut in thick slices
Plain flour
6 tablespoons light olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 - 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
250ml dry white wine
1 x 440g tin chopped peeled tomatoes
Veal or chicken stock, to just cover
2 stalks each parsley and thyme
tied together with a bay leaf (bouquet garni)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Gremolata:
¼ cup freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Finely chopped zest of 1 lemon
Wipe the veal pieces dry with paper towels. Toss them in a bag with a little flour to coat.
Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a heavy casserole and brown the veal pieces in batches. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels.
Tip out the oil and wipe out the casserole. Add 2 tablespoons oil, put in the onion, carrots, celery and garlic and cook until soft. Add the wine, bring to the boil and reduce by half. Put in the veal pieces, add the chopped tomatoes, the herbs and salt and pepper.
Pour in enough stock to barely cover the meat. Bring to the boil, turn down heat. Cover and simmer for 2 - 2 ½ hours or until meat is tender, turning and basting the veal pieces occasionally. Add more stock as necessary. Remove meat to a serving platter and reduce the juices if they are watery. Pour juices over the meat and sprinkle with the gremolata (this can also be added a few minutes before end of cooking time for a more mellow flavour).
For the gremolata, combine the ingredients evenly. Serve with pappardelle (wide Italian noodles).
Tip: Also good cooked in a slow oven (160°C) - and even better the next day.
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