Valentines Day Osso Bucco for your Sweetheart

February 9, 2009 by Curt Siters

Ossobuco alla milanese (in English, often spelled 'osso buco', or as 'osso bucco' with two c's, noted by Merriam-Webster as an alternate spelling) is a dish from Milan, Italy, capital of Lombardy, of braised veal shanks. It is usually sprinkled with gremolata, a mix of parsley, garlic and lemon peel, and served with risotto alla milanese, a risotto enhanced with saffron threads.

The shank is cut across the bone into slices about one cm thick, browned, and braised in white wine and aromatics.

Traditionally, ossobuco is made without tomatoes (these being unknown in Milan until the late 19th century). However, the traditional version, prepared with cinnamon, allspice, bay leaf and gremolata called in bianco, has by and large been replaced with the newer version which includes tomatoes, carrots, celery and onion, flavoured with a bouquet garni and without gremolata (although 'hybrid' versions exist which include both tomato and gremolata). In the modern Italian version of this dish, restaurants often pair the Ossobuco with Risotto alla Milanese, thus becoming one of the few dishes that can be acceptably served with an (unordered) side dish (contorno) to the traditionalist Italian eater. Other risotto rice side dishes may be used as well.

The shank is called osso buco in Italian (from Western Lombard oss bus classical orthography, òs büüs alternative orthography), lit. 'hole bone' (osso 'bone', buco 'hole'), because the bone marrow is part of the appeal of the dish.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-2 Lamb Osso Bucco shanks
• 2 T. Grass-fed butter
• 1 grated carrot
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 medium onion
• pinch of rosemary and sage
• 2 T. tomato paste
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup water or stock
• grated rind of 1 small lemon
• 2 T. chopped parsley
• 1 chopped garlic clove

DIRECTIONS:

Brown the lamb on all sides with the butter.

Turn the pieces upright to hold in the marrow.

Add salt and pepper, carrot, celery, onion, and herbs.

Cover the pot and simmer for about ten minutes.

Blend the tomato paste with wine and stir into juices.

Add stock, cover and simmer, add liquid if necessary.

In about 2 hours when meat is tender, sprinkle on lemon rind, parsley and garlic.

Serve with rice or risotto.

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Curt Siters is an Independent Associate for Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. He is also aYoung Living Essential Oils Independent distributor and publishes articles on YourWebReference and at TheVeryEssence. He also does web work such as website design, website maintenance and SEO for websites.

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