Osso Bucco with Risotto Milanese

Osso Bucco

• 6 bone-in beef or veal shin – cut 4 – 5 cm thick

olive oil to fry

• ½ cup flour

salt & pepper

knob of butter

• 2 onions finely chopped
• 4 medium carrots, cut into small dice
• 2 celery stalks
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 400ml dry white wine such as Leopard’s Leap Chenin Blanc
• 2 cans of chopped peeled tomatoes
• 500ml chicken stock
• Bouquet garni of a few sprigs of each of the following tightly tied together: rosemary, sage, thyme & bay
• Gremolata:
• 3 Tbs finely chopped Italian parsley

zest of a lemon

• 1 clove garlic minced

pinch of sea salt flakes

Risotto Milanese (enough for 4)

• Knob of butter and a splash of olive oil
• ½ white onion very finely chopped
• 1 cup Arboria rice
• 1 Tbs saffron threads
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 800 – 900ml hot chicken stock

about 50gms butter to finish

1. To make the Osso Bucco, season the meat very well on both sides with salt and pepper. I prefer to do this and not season the flour. Then lightly dust the meat in the flour shaking off any excess.
2. Heat a generous splash of olive oil in a non-stick pan and fry the meat on both sides until turning a light golden brown. Do this in batches and then keep aside with the juices.
3. In a large cast-iron pot, heat the knob of butter and add the onions, carrots and celery. Sweat this off for about 5 minutes and until it has softened and just starts taking on colour then add the garlic. Deglaze the pot with the wine and allow this to cook off and reduce – about 4 minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes and the bouquet garni and season well with salt and Pepper.
4. Bring this to the boil on the stovetop and cook for about 10 minutes while you preheat the oven to 140C. Pot the pot into the oven with the lid on and cook for a further 2 – 3 hours. I found 2 hours was adequate but I did reheat it for about 30 minutes the next day. At this point, the meat was starting to fall off the bone but the marrow was still intact. You want to make sure that it doesn’t cook too much.
5. To make the risotto, heat a knob of butter and add a splash of olive oil into a heavy-based pot. Fry the onion for a few minutes until softened but do not take on any colour. In a small bowl put about ¼ cup of the hot stock and add the saffron. Allow this to infuse.
6. Add the rice and coat this in the fat and cook for a few minutes to get it warm and toasty. Add the wine and allow this to be completely absorbed before you slowly start adding the hot stock ladle by ladle full. Stirring constantly. Cook the risotto over medium-high heat. About halfway through add the saffron-infused stock and you will see the colour of the risotto turn to a vibrant yellow. The risotto is ready when the liquid has been absorbed but there is still quite a lot of silky sauce and the rice is slightly al dente. At this point, add the butter and allow it to emulsify into the rice. You will now have a wobbly silky sauce around the rice.
7. Serve immediately with the Osso Bucco and gremolata scattered on top.