Osso Buco: An Elegant Dinner for Two

Osso bucco.

In a word? Tender.

Yes, I know why it's so tender. No, the little itty-bitty baby cow bit doesn't bother me, because those little guys taste good.

You're probably wondering what the heck happened to our veal shank above; I was too. Adam proudly brought home his butcher-paper-wrapped package to a semi-confused and near tears look on my face.

Me: "Whatthefuuuuuuuuisthis?"

Adam: "Veal shanks! I got three!"

Me: "Why are they so smaaaaaaaaaalllllll?"

Adam: "Because you said blah blah blah blah....."

Misunderstandings. Sigh. I had specified total weight and cross-cut shanks. Adam loves osso bucco, so I assumed he knew how the veal should look. He later reminded me that the first, last, and only time he'd eaten osso bucco, we had finished most of an expensive (and seriously intoxicating) bottle of wine. After a martini. Needless to say, he forgot the veal shank should be closer to two inches thick than one!

These things happen. You pick up the wrong thing. The market doesn't have exactly what you need. You get beef instead of buffalo; kale instead of chard; parsnips instead of carrots. An able chef doesn't miss a beat. An able chef improvises.

I reduced the overall cooking time and forged ahead. You know what? They were fall-off-the-bone fantastic! Who cares if they were smaller than I expected!? Briny olives contrast the savory veal, and a simple gremolata of parsley, garlic, and lemon zest balances it all with a fresh, citrusy zing. On the pasta side, gnocchi was the perfect compliment and I was again reminded that I need to set aside some weekend time to make and freeze some to have on-hand.

Who knew osso bucco was so easy? Chop a few things, saute a few things, brown a few things, chuck it all in a pot and cook on low for a few hours. Boil gnocchi for 3-5 minutes and you're done! For those of you who celebrate Valentine's Day this is a PERFECT meal for your carnivorous lover.

WARNING: Attempting to feed this dish to a vegetarian will completely ruin your chances of getting some. Forever.

Buon Appetito!

Serves 2, Inspired by this Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 (10-oz) meaty cross-cut veal shanks (each about 2" thick), tied with kitchen string
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery rib, finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 (28oz) can whole San Marzano tomatoes, crushed in hands (with juice)
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 2 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tsp fresh lemon zest (finely grated)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
• 1 package shelf stable gnocchi
• shaved parmesan (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Pat shanks dry and season with salt and pepper. Combine shanks and flour in a large sealable plastic bag and shake to coat, then remove shanks from bag, shaking off excess flour.
3. Heat 1 Tbsp oil and butter in ovenproof pot over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then brown shanks well, 5-6 minutes per side, then transfer to a plate.
4. Reduce heat to moderate and add remaining tablespoon oil to pot along with onions, carrot, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring, until onions are pale golden, about 5 minutes.
5. Add remaining stew ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring.
6. Arrange shanks in pot in 1 layer and return to a simmer.
7. Cover pot and braise shanks in middle of oven until very tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
8. Remove strings from osso buco and discard along with parsley sprigs and bay leaf.
9. Stir together gremolata ingredients in a small bowl
10. Meanwhile, boil a large pot of water. Cook gnocchi per directions. Toss with a little bit of osso buco sauce.
11. Plate: Arrange gnocchi on plate, top with shank and sauce, garnish with gremolata and shaved parmesan.

NOTE: You can use an all steel pot (we use this one) or a cast-iron pot, or if you have none of the above, you can transfer the shanks and sauce to a baking dish and very tightly cover while cooking in the oven.