In the heart of Milan, amidst the bustling streets and vibrant culture, there's a dish that stands the test of time, captivating hearts and palates with its rich history and irresistible flavours. Osso Bucco is a culinary masterpiece that transcends generations, offering a glimpse into the soul of Lombard cuisine.
I understand that Osso Bucco, translating to "bone with a hole," emerged from the kitchens of Milan in the 19th century. Picture this: tender veal shanks, meticulously cross-cut to reveal the marrow-filled bone at the centre, simmering gently in a symphony of white wine, broth, and aromatic vegetables. It's a dish that embodies the essence of slow-cooked perfection, each bite a testament to the culinary heritage of Northern Italy.
But what makes Osso Bucco so special? Beyond its sumptuous taste and melt-in-your-mouth texture lies a deeper connection to tradition and craftsmanship. The veal shank, sourced from the hind leg of the calf, offers a marriage of flavours and textures unlike any other. Slow-cooked to perfection, it transforms from tough sinew to tender succulence, a testament to the artistry of paddock-to-plate dining.
I made Osso Bucco the other evening. This is one of my favourite wintry dishes and I make it almost the way my mother did. While this dish might be made traditionally from veal shanks and white wine, I usually use shin beef which would come from a steer and be more muscular as an older animal (hence the long long cooking time to break it down). Choose those cut about 8cm or so thick and with the most marrow in the bone. Just ask your butcher for shin beef and look at the marrow if you aren’t sure. I also use red wine – so the following is not a traditional recipe, but it is delicious.
Osso Bucco
Amanda Horrigan
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Main
Cuisine
Italian
Servings
2
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
3-4 hours
I made this the other evening - one of my favourite wintry dishes. Not the traditional recipe perhaps, but it is delicious.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius fan-forced.
Drizzle some olive oil into a heated pan and brown your meat on both sides. If your meat cuts large you might need to do one at a time
While your meat is browning, peel and slice/dice your carrots, celery and peel and quarter your onions or shallots. Get your garlic ready.
Place your meat in the roasting dish.
Deglaze the pan with caramelised vinegar, add a dash more olive oil and sauté the carrots, celery and then the onions, adding the garlic just at the end. You don’t want them to burn and you just want to activate the flavour and smell of the garlic.
Place the carrots, celery and onions around the meat in the roasting dish around the meat.
Take your pan off the heat and pour some of your passata in, stir and then pour that over your meat and vegetables. Pour the tomatoes over all and then the rest of your passata with a glass or two of red wine (I used a merlot the last time I made this dish) and beef stock. You should have the meat pretty well covered. Add some extra water if not. Sprinkle some Salt Flakes and Pepper over your dish and pop it in the oven.
Let it cook for about 15 minutes at 180 degrees and then take the heat down to 150 degrees fan-forced. You need to cook this long and slow as the meat needs to stew until it is falling off the bone or it won’t be amazing. I cover the meat loosely with alfoil so that the steam can escape with the thickening of the sauce but without burning the meat. You will need to check the meat from time to time and turn it, adding more water if your sauce starts to dry out (reduction is fine). This should take 3-4 hours, so you’ll have to stay at home sipping the wine until dinner.
You will know it’s ready when the meat is falling off the bone. If you haven’t this much time, cook at 160 degrees and just be prepared for a slightly less tender dish.
About half an hour before I serve, I boil some potatoes, put them through a ricer and add a small knob of butter and some sea salt.
Put it all on a deep plate or largish bowl for each person, spooning the luscious thick sauce over the meat and make sure you eat the marrow.
Recipe Note
Keep any left over sauce to have with a pasta dish the next day.
Another gourmet salad ..how we love wasabi olive oil.
All the leaves glistening with the promise of a wonderful depth of flavour to be enjoyed with our BBQ meats.
Lemon myrtle is my favourite garden aroma...
Imagine my pleasure when a gift of Olssons Cocktail Salt brought the flavour to drinks in the garden and the Garden in my Drink!
