The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #96071   Message #1876299
Posted By: Q (Frank Staplin)
04-Nov-06 - 04:56 PM
Thread Name: BS: Deep Dish
Subject: RE: BS: Deep Dish
On our butcher's counter, we found a recipe for Osso Bucco. It has become a favorite. We cook it in a large, high, stainless steel pot. We modified it by combining with a very similar recipe.
Amounts vary, depending on how much meat we have, etc.
Here are both recipes, for comparison.

OSSO BUCCO Butcher's recipe
Six pieces veal shank, cross-cut abt. 2 " thick, (abt.8 oz. each), fat trimmed.
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper (we prefer white)
2-4 tsp vegetable (or good olive oil)
2 onions, coarse chop
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, 2 medium carrots, chopped
2 cups short grain Italian rice (we use brown rice instead)
2 cups dry white wine
1 large can plum tomatoes, with juice
2 tsp lemon juice, fresh preferred
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary (or 1/2 tsp dried)
2 cups short grain Italian rice (we use brown rice)
1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp grated lemon peel
Combine flour, salt and pepper; pat veal dry and dust with seasoned flour. Heat oil in large deep ovenproof skillet. Brown veal on medium high heat. Remove meat and all but 2 tsp fat from pan. Add onions, four cloves chopped garlic, celery and carrots. Reduce heat, cook gently for 10 minutes. Add wine and increase heat; bring to boil and let half the wine evaporate.
Add tomatoes, breaking slightly with spoon. Add lemon juice, rosemary and pepper.
Return veal to pan, cover and simmer in preheated 325 F oven three-four hours or until meat is very tender.
Meanwhile add rice to boiling water and cook until tender. Add peas, cover and rest two minutes. Drain rice and peas in sieve, season with salt.
In small bowl, combine parsley, lemon peel and two cloves chopped garlic.
Serve meat and pot contents over rice and peas and sprinkle with parsley topping.

OSSO BUCCO

4 pounds veal cross-cut shanks, 1 1/2-2 inches thick
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped onion
1.2 cup chopped carrot
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 can Italian tomatoes, 16 oz, undrained
1 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves

Gremolata:
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/2 tsp finely chopped garlic.

In Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat until hot. Add veal shanks, 1/3 at a time and brown evenly, turning occasionally; add remaining oil as needed. Remove shanks from pot; season with salt.

Add onion, carrot and crushed garlic to pot; cook and stir 6-8 minutes or until tender. Add tomatoes, wine and basil. Return shanks to pot, bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender.

Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine gremolata ingredients and set aside.

Remove shanks to warm platter. Skim fat from cooking liquid (see COMMENTS).
Cook sauce over high heat until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Spoon 3/4 cup sauce over shanks, sprinkle with gremolata, serve with remaining sauce.

COMMENTS: Veal here is young beef, and it works well. We do it all in a large, stainless pot. The butcher we have has trimmed excess fat, or we do it; we don't have to skim. Garlic sold in our stores is very mild, so more is needed than is called for in the second recipe. Good garlic is sometimes available at Italian grocers.
We flour the meat before browning, rather than mixing the flour with the other ingredients being browned.
We add thyme to the ingredients.
Microwave small, firm white potatoes (Yukon Gold) for a side vegetable that is good with the sauce and a bit of butter.
We prefer Uncle Ben's brown rice, cooked according to the recipe on the box. There is no excess liquid to pour off.
If the sauce-vegetable mixture has to be thickened, tapioca flour is used because it doesn't add an undesirable taste.
The vegetables are cut coarsely; as well as a sauce, we almost have 'pot-roast' type vegetables to serve along with the Osso Bucco.
If a little 'bite' is desired, a very small amount of New Mexico green chili powder can be added.

This makes a lot; good for two days, reheated.

Please Let me know if you spot omissions or have suggestions.