Veal Osso Buco Over Saffron Risotto Recipes

VEAL OSSO BUCO

Steps:

• 1. Lay the veal shanks in a shallow baking pan and sprinkle liberally on both sides with salt. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• 2. Rinse the veal shanks of their salt and pat dry with paper towels. Wrap each veal shank once around the circumference so that it holds the bone and meat together in the center. Tie the twine with a good knot. Season the veal shanks with pepper.
• 3. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• 4. Heat a large, ovenproof casserole over high heat. Put the oil into the casserole and let it heat.
• 5. Meanwhile, put the flour in a shallow bowl, dredge the veal shanks in it, and pat off the excess. Brown the veal shanks in the hot oil for about 5 minutes on each side, or until browned on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside. If the oil turns dark during the process, discard it and heat a fresh cup of oil.
• 6. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to the pan and cook over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine, bring to a boil, and cook for about 2 minutes, or until reduced by half.
• 7. Add the stocks, tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf to the pan. Return the veal shanks to the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Once the liquid boils, cover, transfer to the oven, and cook for 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is fork tender and falling off the bones.
• 8. Remove the herbs from the braising liquid and discard. Let the veal shanks come to room temperature in the braising liquid. Remove the veal shanks and set aside. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or chinois into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until reduced by a quarter. Using a skimmer or large spoon, skim off any grease or foam that rises to the surface. Return the strained vegetables to the liquid and taste for seasoning.
• 9. To serve, cut and discard the twine, put a single osso buco (veal shank) in a bowl, and ladle about 3/4 cup of the sauce and vegetables over it. (If the sauce and the meat are not still warm, heat them together very gently over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes.)
• 10. Garnish each osso buco with the fresh horseradish, lemon zest, and chopped parsley and season with pepper.

VEAL OSSO BUCO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°.
• Preheat a dutch cast iron oven over medium heat.
• Season the veal shank liberally with salt and pepper.
• Add the diced pancetta to the preheated pan, and cook, stirring occasionally.
• When the pancetta is crispy and most of the fat has rendered (about 5 minutes of cooking), remove the pancetta to a plate covered with some paper towel.
• If necessary, drain off all but two tablespoons of the fat from the pan add olive oil.
• Dredge the veal shanks through some flour, shake off any excess and add the meat to the hot fat in the pan.
• Turn the heat under the dutch oven to medium high and cook the meat on each side until well browned (about 5 minutes per side).
• Remove the shanks to a plate.
• Add the mirepoix to the dutch oven.
• Cook the mirepoix (Carrots, Onion, & Celery), until the onions are translucent (about five minutes) and toss in the garlic, thyme, capers, olives and anchovies.
• Continue cooking until the vegetables just begin to brown (about 10 minutes).
• Add the pancetta & shanks back to the pan.
• Pour in the wine, and then add enough stock or broth to come about half way up the side of the shanks.
• Cover the pan and put it in the oven to cook until the meat is as tender.
• The more braising time, the more tender the meat.
• It should take at least 2 hours, at which point you'll have a fine dish.
• More time is better, but make sure to add more wine if needed.
• Optional: Remove meat and cover add the slurry to the liquid stir in completely and cook 5 more minutes stove top till thickened.
• Top with Gremolata.

OSSO BUCO WITH RISOTTO MILANESE

Steps:

• For the osso buco: Sprinkle the veal with salt and pepper and heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Spread some flour on a plate, then dredge the veal in the flour on all sides and add to the oil. Brown well on both sides, 2 minutes a side. Remove to a plate.
• Add the onion, carrot and celery to the pot and cook, stirring, until the onion wilts, about 4 minutes. Stir in the rosemary and thyme. Add the white wine, increase the heat and boil until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, broth and bay leaves. Reduce the heat so that the liquid is simmering gently, and nestle in the veal. Add water, if necessary, to come three-quarters of the way up the sides of the meat. Cover and cook until the veal is tender and a paring knife inserted in the meat slides out easily (insert the knife in several pieces to make sure all are done), 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. Remove the veal to a plate.
• Strain the sauce into a fat separator, pressing on the solids. Wipe out the Dutch oven. Pour the defatted sauce back into the Dutch oven and reduce over high heat until thickened and the sauce just coats the back of a spoon. Cut the strings on the osso buco and return the meat to the sauce. Remove from the heat, cover and keep warm while you make the risotto.
• For the risotto Milanese: Combine the broth and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and add the saffron, then turn the heat very low to just keep warm. Heat a medium Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper; cook until softened but not browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add the rice and cook, stirring, to coat the grains in the oil, about 2 minutes. Add the white wine, bring to a simmer and cook until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add enough of the hot broth to just cover the rice. Simmer, stirring occasionally until almost totally absorbed. Continue to add broth and stir until the rice is creamy and al dente, about 18 minutes from the first addition. (The risotto will be a bit soupy at this point.)
• Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter and Parmesan until melted and creamy. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the gremolata: Combine the parsley, garlic and lemon zest in a small bowl.
• Spoon the risotto into 4 shallow wide bowls. Top each serving with a piece of osso buco and spoon the sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the gremolata.

VEAL OSSO BUCO OVER SAFFRON RISOTTO

Steps:

• Instructions: Osso Buco.
• Pre-heat oven at 375 degrees.
• Flour the veal shanks and saute on both sides and set aside in a small deep baking pan. In the same saute pan cook the onions, garlic, celery and carrots. Add 1 glass of white wine and cook down for 2 minutes. Add the plum tomatoes, herbs and veal stock. Bring to a boil and pour over the veal shanks. The shanks must be submerged in the liquid. Add salt & pepper. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 60 minutes at 375 degrees.
• Instructions: Saffron Risotto.
• In a medium pot saute the onions in olive oil until golden. Add the rice and stir with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Add the bay leaf and white wine and allow the wine to evaporate. Add the saffron and the boiling veal stock covering 1 inch above the rice. Let the rice cook at moderate heat for about 18 minutes stirring continuously. You may add the rest of the veal stock as needed.
• At the end, add 1 ounce of extra virgin olive oil and parmigiano cheese. Stir with a wooden spoon until the rice is creamy. To serve, ladle 5 ounces of risotto in the middle of each plate. Hollow the middle of the rice (volcano) and place the Osso Buco inside and cover with the veal sauce. Sprinkle with parmigiano cheese and serve.

EMERIL'S OVEN-BRAISED OSSO BUCO WITH ORZO "RISOTTO"

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil and heat until very hot. In a shallow bowl or plate combine the flour with the Essence and dredge the shanks in the seasoned flour. Shake the shanks to remove any excess flour, then transfer shanks to the pot and cook until well-browned on all sides, working in batches if necessary, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the shanks to a roasting pan or deep lasagna pan large enough to hold the shanks in 1 layer and set aside. Add the onions, celery and carrots to the Dutch oven and cook until softened and lightly browned around the edges, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pot with the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer to the roasting pan along with the stock and bring to a boil on the stovetop. Cover the roasting pan and transfer to the oven. Cook for about 2 1/2 hours, or until the shanks are very tender.
• Remove from the oven and add the parsley and orzo to the pan; stir to distribute evenly. Replace the cover and return the pan to the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the pot from the oven and stir gently. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Serve immediately, 1 shank per person on top of a bed of orzo. Garnish with some of the grated Parmesan.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William and Morrow, 1993.

VEAL OSSO BUCO WITH SAFFRON RISOTTO, ENGLISH PEAS, AND PEA SHOOTS

Steps:

• Season the veal shanks with the garlic, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon thyme, and rosemary. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
• Take the veal shanks out of the refrigerator an hour before cooking, to bring them to room temperature. After 30 minutes, season the shanks on all sides with 3 tablespoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper. Reserve the garlic and any excess herbs.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 3 minutes. Pour in the olive oil and wait a minute or two, until the pan is very hot, almost smoking. Place the shanks in the pot, and sear until caramelized and nicely browned on all sides. Depending on the size of your pan, you will probably have to sear the meat in batches. (Do not crowd the meat or get lazy or rushed with this step. It's very important that the meat sear to a deep golden brown on all sides; this will take a good 15 to 20 minutes.) When the shanks are nicely browned, transfer them to a braising pan. They should sit flat, bones standing up, in one layer.
• Turn the heat down to medium, and add the onion, carrot, celery, sage sprigs, and reserved garlic and herbs. Stir with a wooden spoon to scrape up all the crusty bits in the pan. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables just begin to caramelize. Stir in the tomatoes and cook a few more minutes. Add the vermouth, turn the heat to high, and reduce the liquid by half.
• Add the stock and bring to a boil. Pour the liquid over the shanks, scraping any of the vegetables that fall on the meat back into the liquid. The stock mixture should almost cover the shanks (if not, add a little more stock or water). Tuck the parsley sprigs in the broth around the shanks. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and a tight-fitting lid if you have one. Braise in the oven about 3 hours.
• To check the meat for doneness, carefully remove the lid and foil (watch out for the hot steam), and pierce one of the shanks with a paring knife. When the meat is done, it will yield easily. Taste a piece if you are not sure.
• Turn the oven up to 400°F.
• Carefully transfer the veal shanks to a baking sheet and return them to the oven to brown 10 to 15 minutes.
• Strain the broth into a saucepan, pressing down on the vegetables with a ladle to extract all the juices. Skim the fat from the braising juices. If necessary, reduce the broth over medium-high heat about 5 minutes, to thicken slightly. Taste for seasoning.
• Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the butter, and when it foams, add the peas. Turn the heat down to low, and sauté the peas gently about 3 minutes, shaking the pan a few times. Add the shallots, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Stir to combine, and cook a few minutes, until the shallots are soft and translucent.
• Add 1/2 cup water and turn the heat up to medium. Cook a minute or so, until the peas are just tender. Turn off the heat and toss in the pea shoots.
• Arrange the veal shanks on a large warm platter. Ladle lots of the braising juices over the meat. Spoon the sauté of peas and pea shoots on top. Serve a bowl of saffron risotto and the remaining braising juices on the side.
• Saffron Risotto
• Toast the saffron threads in a small pan over medium heat, just until they dry and become brittle. Pound the saffron in a mortar to a fine powder. Add half the butter, and use a rubber spatula to incorporate it.
• Bring the chicken stock and 3 1/2 cups water to a boil over high heat. Turn off the heat.
• Meanwhile, heat a medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Swirl in the saffron butter, and when it foams, add the onion, thyme, chile, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few grindings of black pepper. Sauté about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is translucent. Stir in the rice and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring continuously, until the rice just begins to toast and the grains of rice have a white dot at their center.
• Pour in the white wine, and once it has evaporated, quickly add 1 cup of the hot stock and stir continuously. When the stock is completely absorbed, begin adding the liquid in 1 cup batches, stirring all the time, with a wooden spoon, back and forth in a rhythmic motion. Wait for each batch of liquid to be absorbed before adding the next. The rice should be bubbling and quickly absorbing the liquid. After about 15 minutes, taste the rice for tenderness. It should be slightly but not too al dente. The risotto may need more liquid and more time, so keep cooking until it's done. It should be neither soupy nor dry; each grain of rice should be coated in a flavorful starchy "sauce."
• When the rice is almost done, turn off the heat. Let the risotto "rest" for a minute or two, then quickly stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the parsley (and Parmigiano-Reggiano if you are using it). Taste for seasoning. The rice will keep absorbing liquid, so add a little more stock if it seems dry. Spoon the risotto into a serving bowl.
• Note
• You can braise the veal shanks a day or two ahead of time; just remember they need to marinate a full day beforehand. Bring the cooked meat to room temperature and then gently reheat it, covered, in the broth. Start the risotto after you take the veal out of the oven the first time (or after you have reheated it) and strain the braising juices. After the risotto has been cooking about 10 minutes, put the shanks in the oven to brown. Recruit a friend to help you by preparing the sauté of peas and pea shoots while you finish the risotto.