Serves: 4

Osso Buco is typically associated with a robust tomato sauce, though that is not how it is traditionally done. Osso Buco is in fact a Northern Italian dish and tomatoes do not feature nearly as prominently as they do in the South.

This dish is served with gremolata and is much more delicate than the tomato variety. I love gremolata and this dish is clean and fun, especially without the tomatoes.

Serve with some sautéd brussel sprouts and some Parmesan mash and you’re onto a winner.

Ingredients

12 pieces of veal shank
Plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
¼ cup olive oil
60g butter
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 lemon, zest peeled, finely chopped
Good handful of parsley, finely chopped
250ml white wine
1 bay leaf
Pinch of allspice
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Thin lemon wedges to serve

Gremolata

2 tsp grated lemon zest
6 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Method

1. Dust the veal with the seasoned flour.
2. Heat the oil, butter and garlic in a large heavy saucepan big enough to hold the shanks in a single layer. Put the shanks in the pan and cook for 12 to 15 minutes until well browned.
3. Arrange the shanks, standing them up in a single layer, pour in the wine and add the bay leaf, allspice and cinnamon. Cover the saucepan.
4. Cook at a low simmer for 15 minutes and then add ½ cup of water. Continue cooking for between 45 mins and 1 hour, until the meat is tender. Check the volume of the water from time to time and add water if needed.
5. Transfer the veal to a plate and keep warm. Discard the garlic clove and bay leaf.
6. To make the gremolata, mix together the lemon zest, parsley and garlic.
7. Increase the heat under the saucepan and stir for 1-2 mins until the sauce is thick, scraping up any bits off the bottom of the saucepan. Stir in the gemolata and season, and return the veal to the sauce.
8. Heat through and then serve with lemon wedges.