Veal Osso Buco

Ingredients

• Veal shanks (4 pieces, about 1.5 inches thick)
• Salt (to taste)
• Black pepper (to taste)
• All-purpose flour (1/2 cup (for dredging))
• Olive oil (2 tablespoons)
• Unsalted butter (2 tablespoons)
• Onion (1 large, diced)
• Carrots (2 medium, diced)
• Celery stalks (2, diced)
• Garlic cloves (4, minced)
• Tomato paste (2 tablespoons)
• White wine (1 cup)
• Beef broth (2 cups)
• Bay leaves (2)
• Fresh thyme sprigs (3)
• Parsley sprigs (1/4 cup, chopped (for the dish))
• Parsley sprigs (1/4 cup, chopped (for gremolata))
• Lemon zest (1 tablespoon)
• Garlic clove (1, minced (for gremolata))

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
2. Season the veal shanks generously with salt and pepper, then dredge them in flour, shaking off any excess flour.
3. In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Once hot, add the veal shanks and sear them until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the shanks from the pot and set aside.
4. In the same pot, add the diced onion, carrots, celery, and minced garlic. Sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for an additional minute. Then, pour in the white wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze and loosen any browned bits.
6. Return the browned veal shanks to the pot. Add the beef broth, bay leaves, thyme, and half of the chopped parsley. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
7. Cover the pot with a lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Cook for about 2 hours, or until the veal is fork-tender.
8. While the osso buco cooks, prepare the gremolata by mixing the remaining chopped parsley, lemon zest, and minced garlic in a small bowl.
9. Once cooked, remove the bay leaves and thyme from the pot. Serve the osso buco hot, garnished with a sprinkle of gremolata on top.