Well another weekend gone, but somehow this one seemed ever so very short. Dinner on saturday for Janet and Meredith was Osso Buco, I don't think I've posted this recipe, so here it is:
Osso Buco is a classic italian recipe from the Milanese region of Italy. Normally it's made with veal shank, but I find veal is overpriced and underflavoured, so for this recipe I like to use Beef shank. I get it from Hovan Farms booth at the Curry Barracks Farmers Market. Get it cryovac wrapped.
First step is to age your shank. Leave it in the Cryovac and stick it in your fridge for at least a week, maybe even two weeks. Just let it sit...The flavour will improve, and the meat will become much more tender. This works for any cut of beef, actually, as long as the cryovac has no leaks.
When you unwrap the meat it will smell bad, but it's not spoiled, it's just the juices onj the outside which have undergone some anaerobic fermentation. Just rinse it well under cold water, pat it dry, and it will be sweet and tender.
Beef can be aged for up to five weeks in total, but it is usually sold with 14-21 days of age already on it.
After you have rinsed and dried the beef, sprinkle it with some kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper (both sides) and leave it uncovered in your fridge overnight. In the morning the meat will be dry to the touch on the outside, and this brief dry-aging will help in the browning process later.
Preheat your oven to 325f
Now heat up a pan to med/hi heat. you want a pan which you can cover with a lid, and which is oven safe. Also, preferably NOT a nonstick pan, because you will not get as good a browning...Also, you want a pan that the shanks just fit in, without cramming, and without much excess space. I use a 12 inch stainless saute pan, but cast iron works very well also.
Add 2tbs of olive oil to the hot pan, then place your shanks carefully. They should sizzle loudly, but if you have much smoke, turn the heat down a bit. Brown the living hell out of these shanks...you want a golden brown crisp crust on both sides...go 5-10minutes for this if that's what it takes, but get em good and crusty.
remove the shanks to a bowl on the side, and add 2 cups of dry white wine to the pan. scrape the pan down and make sure all the crusty bits come free, and let the wine cook down a bit, say for two minutes or so. Then pour the reduced wine and pan drippings over the shanks. Clean the pan with a quick towel, and replace on the heat.
When the pan is back
Add about 2 tbs of oil to the pan, and then add two carrots, two sticks of celery, and two medium onions, all diced to about 1/4". cook these, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent and begining to brown on the edges. Add 5 large cloves of garlic, minced fine, and cook another two minutes.
Add 1 cup of white wine, and let it cook for three minutes. Then add 2 cups of chicken broth, and one 14oz can of good quality diced plum tomatoes. Bring to steady simmer, add two small bay leaves, 1tsp of dried thyme, and a few grinds of black pepper.
lay the shanks back in the pan, cover it, and pop it in the oven for 2 1/2hrs. For the last 2hrs of cooking time, crack the lid open to allow the cooking liquid to reduce, and keep an eye on it: If the liquid thickens too much, your oven might be too hot, and you need to turn it down to 275f.
Make Gremolata: Mince 4tbs(after mincing) of fresh parsley with 2 cloves of garlic and 1tbs of lemon zest. a little salt and pepper.
Take it out and serve a shank to each person, with a two ladles of the sauce, gremolata sprinkled thickly on top and crusty bread for sopping up the delicious broth.
Traditionally served with Saffron risotto, which will await another day.
Osso Buco is a classic italian recipe from the Milanese region of Italy. Normally it's made with veal shank, but I find veal is overpriced and underflavoured, so for this recipe I like to use Beef shank. I get it from Hovan Farms booth at the Curry Barracks Farmers Market. Get it cryovac wrapped.
First step is to age your shank. Leave it in the Cryovac and stick it in your fridge for at least a week, maybe even two weeks. Just let it sit...The flavour will improve, and the meat will become much more tender. This works for any cut of beef, actually, as long as the cryovac has no leaks.
When you unwrap the meat it will smell bad, but it's not spoiled, it's just the juices onj the outside which have undergone some anaerobic fermentation. Just rinse it well under cold water, pat it dry, and it will be sweet and tender.
Beef can be aged for up to five weeks in total, but it is usually sold with 14-21 days of age already on it.
After you have rinsed and dried the beef, sprinkle it with some kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper (both sides) and leave it uncovered in your fridge overnight. In the morning the meat will be dry to the touch on the outside, and this brief dry-aging will help in the browning process later.
Preheat your oven to 325f
Now heat up a pan to med/hi heat. you want a pan which you can cover with a lid, and which is oven safe. Also, preferably NOT a nonstick pan, because you will not get as good a browning...Also, you want a pan that the shanks just fit in, without cramming, and without much excess space. I use a 12 inch stainless saute pan, but cast iron works very well also.
Add 2tbs of olive oil to the hot pan, then place your shanks carefully. They should sizzle loudly, but if you have much smoke, turn the heat down a bit. Brown the living hell out of these shanks...you want a golden brown crisp crust on both sides...go 5-10minutes for this if that's what it takes, but get em good and crusty.
remove the shanks to a bowl on the side, and add 2 cups of dry white wine to the pan. scrape the pan down and make sure all the crusty bits come free, and let the wine cook down a bit, say for two minutes or so. Then pour the reduced wine and pan drippings over the shanks. Clean the pan with a quick towel, and replace on the heat.
When the pan is back
Add about 2 tbs of oil to the pan, and then add two carrots, two sticks of celery, and two medium onions, all diced to about 1/4". cook these, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent and begining to brown on the edges. Add 5 large cloves of garlic, minced fine, and cook another two minutes.
Add 1 cup of white wine, and let it cook for three minutes. Then add 2 cups of chicken broth, and one 14oz can of good quality diced plum tomatoes. Bring to steady simmer, add two small bay leaves, 1tsp of dried thyme, and a few grinds of black pepper.
lay the shanks back in the pan, cover it, and pop it in the oven for 2 1/2hrs. For the last 2hrs of cooking time, crack the lid open to allow the cooking liquid to reduce, and keep an eye on it: If the liquid thickens too much, your oven might be too hot, and you need to turn it down to 275f.
Make Gremolata: Mince 4tbs(after mincing) of fresh parsley with 2 cloves of garlic and 1tbs of lemon zest. a little salt and pepper.
Take it out and serve a shank to each person, with a two ladles of the sauce, gremolata sprinkled thickly on top and crusty bread for sopping up the delicious broth.
Traditionally served with Saffron risotto, which will await another day.
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And about the work: I'm looking into other things right now... this just means I can be a little more picky. I might take a course and work at an orthodontics office. We'll see.
Annnnnd skiing, I might just be convinced! We're going climbing on sunday, so that would be a super fantastic fun weekend of doomy doom. And stuff.
Call me.
Or, more accurately, get Janet to call me.
As to how you're going to sleep tonight, well... not my problem