Osso Buco	recipe

A snapshot of the Hub-UK menu in December 2000

Back then the internet was a very different place with much more of an amateur feel to it. In a lot of ways it was a pleasanter and more friendly place to hang out. For those of us interested in food and cooking it was a great opportunity to chat and share ideas with people living in other parts of the world.

It was also a time when everyone involved in cooking, whether they were just a keen amateur, a busy mum, a grandmother with a lifetime of kitchen experience or a professional chef just starting a career in the kitchen or one who was an old hand working at the stove, was happy to share recipes so others could enjoy them.

This recipe was contributed by Shirley Cline.

Shirley was a great inspiration when I first started working on the idea of creating a recipe and cooking web site. Not only did she encourage me but she also supplied a great many recipes and other pieces which are featured throughout the site. Her great achievement was to teach me to cook risotto over the internet!

Although I never had the chance to meet Shirley, or even talk to her, I regarded her as a good friend. It was with great sadness that I learnt that she passed away in Autumn 2004 and that there would be no more emails. I think she will be sadly missed by a lot of people like me to whom she gave such pleasure with the sharing or her recipes. The pleasure my children have had from her recipe for Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar and Mint - not to mention the fights for seconds - has been a joy to behold.

Osso Buco Ingredients

4 Tblsp butter
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1 Tblsp finely chopped garlic
6-7 lbs. veal shanks, sawed, not chopped, into 8 pieces, each 1 1/2 inches long, and tied with string around their circumference
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Flour
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup good dry white wine
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. thyme
3/4 cup chicken or beef stock
3 cups drained canned whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 bay leaves

Gremolata Ingredients:
1 Tblsp. grated lemon peel
1 tsp. finely chopped garlic
3 Tblsp. finely chopped parsley 

Osso Buco Method

• Using a Dutch oven with tight cover, just large enough to snugly hold the pieces of veal standing up in 1 layer, melt butter over moderate heat and when the foam subsides, add the chopped onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook stirring occasionally, for 10 - 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are lightly colored. Remove the casserole from the heat.

• Season the pieces of veal with salt and pepper, then roll them in flour and shake off excess. In a heavy 10 - 12 inch skillet, heat 6 tablespoons of olive oil until a haze forms over it. Brown the veal in the oil moderately high heat, 4 or 5 pieces at a time, adding more oil as needed. Transfer the browned pieces to the Dutch oven and stand them side by side on top of the vegetables.

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Now discard almost all of the fat from the skillet, leaving just a film on the bottom. Pour in the wine and boil it briskly over high heat until it is reduced to about 1/2 cup. Scrape in any browned bits clinging to the pan.

• Stir in the beef stock, basil, thyme, tomatoes, parsley and bay leaves and bring to a boil, then pour it all over the veal. The liquid should come halfway up the side of the veal, if it does not, add more stock.

• Bring to a boil on top of the stove. Cover and bake in the lower third of the oven, basting occasionally and regulating the oven heat to keep the casserole simmering gently. In about 1 hour and 15 minutes, the veal should be tender; test it by piercing the meat with the tip of a sharp knife.

• To serve, arrange the pieces of veal on a heated platter and spoon the sauce and vegetables from the casserole around them. Sprinkle the top with gremolata, a piquant garnish made by mixing the grated lemon rind and chopped garlic and parsley together.

• I either serve this with Polenta or Risotto.

Shirley Cline

Email Hub-UK : info@hub-uk.com