Veal shanks braised in white wine with Milanese risotto and gremolata.
This recipe is a very traditional preparation of osso buco. The veal shanks are seared then braised with white wine and vegetables. Served over saffron risotto and garnished with gremolata and parmesan.
Risotto alla Milanese is risotto cooked in the style of Milan. Which essentially means that it is cooked with bone marrow and saffron. The marrow can be left out of the recipe, but it does add a meaty richness to the dish. You can purchase marrow bones from a butcher. Ask them to slice the bone in half to make it easier to scoop out the marrow. If you cannot find marrow bones, scoop out a small amount from the uncooked veal shanks. Don’t scoop it all out. You will want to save some to eat with the finished meal.
Gremolata is a simple mixture of fresh chopped parsley, garlic, and lemon zest. This mixture really sends this dish over the top. The tart flavors of the citrus and parsley brighten and balance the richness of the risotto and veal.
I did take a detour from tradition in this recipe when making the risotto. Instead of arborio or carnaroli rice, I used short-grain brown rice. The brown rice adds a nuttier flavor and some extra nutrients to the dish. It may not be quite as creamy, but it still turns out delicious. To make the risotto with arborio rice, reduce the amount of stock, cooking the rice until it is al dente.
Osso Buco
Ingredients
Veal
- 8 veal shanks
- salt and pepper as needed
- 1/4 cup flour
- oil as needed
- 3 cups onion chopped
- 3 cups carrot chopped
- 3 cups celery chopped
- 3 cups tomato chopped
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 sprigs oregano
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 1/4 tsp black peppercorn
- 1/8 tsp chili flake
- 1 cup white wine
- 4 cups beef stock
Risotto
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 4 tbsp butter divided
- 2 tbsp bone marrow optional
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 1/2 cups short-grain brown rice
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 7 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated plus more for garnish
- salt and pepper as needed
Gremolata
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic minced
- 1/8 cup lemon zest grated
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
Instructions
Veal
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pat the veal dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet with oil over medium-high heat. Dust the shanks with flour. Sear both sides until browned and place in a baking dish. Add more oil to the skillet with the vegetables. Lightly brown the vegetables. Coat the vegetables with flour and add the spices. Cook for 1 minute. Add the white wine, then the beef stock. Bring to a simmer and pour over the veal shanks. Cover the baking pan and cook for 2 hours flipping the shanks over halfway through.
- Remove the shanks from the pan. Strain the vegetables from the sauce and skim off any fat. Pour the sauce into a skillet or pan and reduce it by half. Add the shanks back to the sauce and warm through.
- Spoon some risotto on a plate. Add a veal shank and some sauce. Garnish with gremolata and parmesan.
Risotto
- Heat the stock to a simmer and remove it from heat. Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the oil, 2 tbsp butter, and bone marrow and allow them to melt. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the rice and toast for 2-3 minutes. Add the white wine. Start adding the stock 1 1/2 cups at a time adding more when the liquid is almost absorbed. Stir frequently. Allow the last addition of stock to absorb for 2-3 minutes. Then, add the parmesan and the remaining butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Gremolata
- Mix the ingredients and set aside until ready to serve.
These all sound so good and I plan on trying them out soon. The pumpkin biscuits were great!
Thank you! I’m glad you like them!