Thick slices of veal shank, slowly stewed in white wine and tomato until the marrow melts in the bone and the meat comes away by itself. Traditionally finished with gremolata, a fresh mix of lemon zest, garlic and parsley that wakes the dish up.
Ossobuco alla milanese
Region: Lombardy
Ossobuco alla milanese
Region: Lombardy
Method
01
Prepare the meat
Make cuts around the membrane of each slice of shank to prevent the meat curling during frying. Lightly dust with flour, shaking off the excess.
02
Brown
Heat the butter and olive oil in a wide casserole. Brown the shanks all over on a medium heat, in batches. Remove and set aside.
03
Soffritto
In the same pan, sweat the onion, carrot and celery for approx. 8 minutes until soft.
04
Deglaze
Deglaze with the white wine and scrape up the browned bits. Let most of the alcohol evaporate.
05
Braise
Add the tomatoes, stock and bay leaves. Return the shanks, marrow side up so it isn't lost. Bring to the boil, cover and leave to braise gently over a low heat for 2 to 2½ hours, until the meat comes away from the bone.
06
Gremolata
Just before serving, mix the lemon zest, garlic and parsley to a fresh, finely chopped gremolata.
07
Serve
Put the shanks on plates, spoon the sauce over the top and sprinkle with a generous pinch of gremolata.
Tips & notes
Tie the meat around the bone with kitchen string if you are worried it will fall apart during braising. Always serve a small spoon for the marrow; it belongs to the dish and is, for connoisseurs, the tastiest part. Keeps for 3–4 days in the fridge, and freezes very well (up to 3 months); the flavour often deepens further the next day.
Variations
- Serve traditionally with risotto alla milanese (saffron risotto) instead of mash or pasta.
- Replace the veal shank with beef shin for a cheaper, slightly heartier version.
Contains:
Gluten
Milk
Celery
Sulphites
Serve with
- Risotto ai funghi con coscia di pollo
- Risotto alla milanese
| Calories | 307 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 19 g |
| Fat | 20 g |
| Fibre | 3 g |
Estimated values, calculated from standard nutritional values per ingredient.
