Osso Buco

Osso buco is a classic Milanese dish of braised veal shanks in a hearty wine- and vegetable-based sauce. The marrow in the shank bones bathes everything in its rich flavour as it renders during the braise, while a bright mixture of parsley, lemon zest, and garlic (known as gremolata in Italian) finishes the dish off. We Keep this Frozen.

Cooking Idea

Ingredients
10g packet of dried porcini
6thick cut veal shin bone, complete with marrow. Ask your butcher for hind quarter shin bones (about 4cm thick), as they’re meatier and more tender than the front ones
a small handful of plain flour, seasoned
50g unsalted butter
3 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, diced
1 large celery stick, trimmed and diced
200ml dry white wine
225ml tomato sugocasa or passata
1 tsp vegetable bouillon powder dissolved in 250ml/9fl oz hot water.

Method

STEP 1
Soak the porcini for at least 15 minutes in 200ml/7fl oz boiling water. Don’t remove the membrane that holds the veal together, but trim off any obviously fatty or lumpy bits. Dust both sides of the meat with the seasoned flour.

STEP 2
Heat the butter and oil in a very large flameproof sauté pan or casserole over medium-high heat. When the sizzling stops, put in the veal and fry the slices for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Transfer the meat to a plate.

STEP 3
Replace the pan over low to medium heat and tip in the carrot and celery. Gently fry for 5 minutes until the vegetables have slightly softened, then raise the heat and pour in the wine. Bubble the wine furiously for 2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.

STEP 4
Fish the softened porcini out of the soaking liquid, squeeze out the excess moisture and reserve it. Chop the porcini roughly and add to the sauté pan, together with the soaking liquid. Add the passata and stock, then stir.

STEP 5
Put the veal back into the pan in a single layer, cover and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat and simmer very gently for 2 hours, turning the veal slices halfway, until the meat is very soft. The liquid should reduce to a thickish sauce, but if it’s still thin after 1¼ -1½ hours, half remove the lid to allow evaporation. Serve with the grain ‘risotto’