Veal Osso Bucco with Risotto Milanese
Melt in the mouth, unctuous veal osso bucco with a saffron risotto and lemon & parsley gremolata
Ingredients
Olive oil for frying
4 pieces British rose veal shin (about 350g each), cut through the bone, with the marrow
4 tbsp plain flour
50g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, crushed
Finely grated zest 1 lemon
6-7 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked
200ml dry white wine
250ml fresh chicken stock
For the risotto
2 tbsp olive oil
2 banana shallots, finely sliced
200g arborio risotto rice
175ml dry white wine
Pinch saffron strands, soaked in 1 tbsp hot water
1 litre fresh chicken stock, hot
30g parmesan, grated
Knob of butter
For the gremolata
Finely grated zest 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Small handful fresh flatleaf parsley, finely chopped
Method
Heat a glug of olive oil in a heavy- based casserole large enough to fit all the veal in a single layer. Dust the veal in the flour and season well with salt and pepper, then brown all over in the casserole and set aside.
Add a little more oil and the butter to the pan, then fry the onion, carrot and celery for 10 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, lemon zest and thyme leaves to the pan and return the browned veal. Slosh in the wine and bubble away for a minute or so, then add the stock. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook very gently for 1½ hours.
Remove the lid and simmer for a further 30 minutes to reduce the liquid slightly. The veal should be lovely and tender by now.
In the final half hour make the risotto. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the shallots until softened. Add the risotto rice and stir over a medium heat for a minute or so. Add the wine and stir until absorbed.
Add the saffron and its soaking water, then add the hot stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring until each addition is absorbed before adding the next. Once the rice is just tender, add another good ladleful of stock, the parmesan and butter. Stir, then remove from the heat, cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes.
Mix together all the ingredients for the gremolata. Serve the osso buco with the risotto and sprinkle with gremolata.
