Serves 4
Osso Bucco
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 large carrots, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 center-cut veal shanks
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
1/2 cup dry red wine (such as Merlot)
4 cups veal stock*
1 (14-ounce) can peeled plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
Saffron Risotto
8 cups vegetable stock
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided
4 shallots, finely diced
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup brandy
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Red Wine Sauce
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1/2 large carrot, finely diced
1/2 leek, finely diced
1 1/4 cups red wine
2 cups reserved Osso Bucco cooking liquid
Gremolata
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
For risotto:
- 1. Bring vegetable stock to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and keep warm on stove.
- 2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large, deep sauté pan or stockpot over medium heat. Add shallots, cooking until just tender, about 3 minutes.
- 3. Add rice, stirring to coat in butter. Cook until rice turns milky white and opaque, and just begins to stick to bottom of pan.
- 4. Add wine and brandy, and stir 2 minutes, until liquid is almost absorbed. Crumble saffron into pan, stirring to combine.
- 5. Ladle about 1 cup simmering stock into rice. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring often, until stock is almost completely absorbed. Continue adding stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring gently until almost all broth is absorbed before adding next cup. Add stock until rice is creamy and cooked through.
- 6. Stir in mascarpone, cream, and Parmesan; season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
For osso bucco:
- 1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
- 2. Heat oil in a heavy stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season shanks with salt and pepper; working in batches to avoid crowding pan, add shanks to pan. Sear shanks until golden brown, then transfer to a plate and set aside.
- 3. Add garlic, carrots, celery, and onion to pan, adding additional oil if needed; cook, stirring often, until softened.
- 4. Add wine and tomatoes to pan, stirring until wine is reduced by two-thirds. Add shanks back to pan; pour stock to cover shanks by three-quarters.
- 5. Cover pan and place in oven. Cook 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until shanks are very tender.
- 6. Remove shanks from cooking liquid; strain cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside.
For red wine sauce:
- 1. Heat oil in a large, deep sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots, celery, carrot, and leek. Cook until vegetables begin to brown.
- 2. Add wine and cook until almost completely reduced. Add strained cooking liquid and simmer until reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Strain sauce through a fine-mesh sieve.
For gremolata:
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring until completely combined
To serve:
Spoon risotto in the center of a dish; place a shank over risotto. Top with gremolata and drizzle with red wine sauce.
*Cook’s Note: If you cannot find veal stock, you may substitute half beef stock and half chicken stock.