Consuming Passions - Worldwide Events Managers

Osso bucco

Serves: 4

Notes

Veal shank, or shin, is perfect in slowly cooked casserole dishes such as this, where the texture of the meat remains, and the bones and marrow provide a bliss factor. Ask your butcher to bone the shin and give you the meat and bones separately

Ingredients

• 1 large boned veal shank and the bones
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, cut into large pieces
• 1 or 2 medium carrots, cut into pieces
• 1 parsnip, scraped and cut into pieces
• 2 slender young leeks, cut into rings
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 300ml white wine (Chardonnay is fine)
• 4 or 5 sprigs parsley
• 4 or 5 sprigs thyme
• 1 or 2 bay leaves
• 3 or 4 prunes, pitted and chopped finely
• 3 or 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut into thin strips
• 1 can kidney beans, drained
• 2 cups cooked ribbon pasta, such as fettucine
• Chopped parsley and thyme for garnish

Method

Make stock by just covering bones with water and simmering for about 4 or 5 hours, skimming impurities from the top when it occurs. Drain and remove fat, either with paper towel or refrigerating and skimming off with a spoon when fat has set. Once done, reduce stock over medium heat until reduced by half. Cut veal meat into 4 cm cubes. Sauté in oil to just brown, drain and remove to casserole dish. In remaining oil, brown onion, carrot, parsnip and leek pieces for 2 or 3 minutes. Remove and put in casserole dish along with veal. Deglaze the pan with wine and add 500ml prepared veal stock or a chicken stock. Stir in tomato paste. Pour over meat and vegetables and add the thyme, parsley, bay leaves, prune pieces. Cover tightly and cook slowly in the oven at 160C for at least 2 hours. Put garlic on small baking tray and dry in oven for a few minutes. Remove. When casserole is cooked, stir in drained beans and pasta and serve topped with dried garlic chips, parsley and thyme. Leftover potential: Keeps for 2 or 3 days in the refrigerator.