Risotto con Ossobuco

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy 6-quart Dutch oven or braising pan with lid
• •Wide, heavy-bottomed pan for risotto (12-inch ideal)
• •Small saucepan for keeping broth warm
• •Kitchen twine
• •Wooden spoon
• •Marrow spoons for serving

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the veal shanks

   Remove the veal shanks from the refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking. Tie each shank around its circumference with kitchen twine to hold the meat to the bone during braising. Season generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Dredge lightly in flour, shaking off excess. The flour creates a thin crust that helps thicken the braising liquid.

   Ask your butcher for shanks cut from the center of the leg, where the marrow is most generous. The bone should be at least one and a half inches thick. Thin cuts dry out and the marrow escapes.
2. 2

   Brown the shanks

   In a heavy braising pan or Dutch oven large enough to hold all shanks in a single layer, heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. When the butter foam subsides, add the shanks. Brown deeply on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. The meat should develop a mahogany crust. Do not crowd the pan; brown in batches if necessary. Transfer to a plate.

3. 3

   Build the soffritto

   Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining butter and olive oil to the pan. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook slowly, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, until the vegetables are soft and golden, about 12 minutes. The browned fond on the pan bottom is flavor. Do not waste it.

4. 4

   Deglaze and braise

   Return the shanks to the pan, nestling them into the vegetables. Pour in the white wine and let it bubble until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the passed tomatoes, broth, thyme, and bay leaves. The liquid should come about two-thirds up the sides of the shanks, not cover them. Bring to a gentle simmer.

   Traditional Milanese osso buco uses tomato sparingly. This is not a red sauce dish. The tomato provides acidity and depth, not color or dominance.
5. 5

   Braise until tender

   Cover the pan and transfer to a 325°F oven, or maintain the gentlest possible simmer on the stovetop. Braise until the meat is completely tender and pulling away from the bone, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Turn the shanks once halfway through. The sauce should reduce and thicken. If it reduces too much before the meat is tender, add a splash of broth. When done, a fork should slide into the meat with no resistance.

6. 6

   Make the gremolata

   While the osso buco braises, combine the parsley, lemon zest, and garlic in a small bowl. Mix well. Cover and set aside at room temperature. The gremolata must be fresh. Make it no more than an hour before serving. The lemon and parsley lose their brightness within minutes of being added to hot food.

   The gremolata is not optional. The lemon zest, garlic, and parsley cut through the richness of the braised meat. Add it only at the moment of serving.
7. 7

   Prepare for risotto

   About 30 minutes before serving, bring the chicken broth to a simmer in a saucepan. Add the saffron threads to a ladleful of warm broth and let them steep. Keep the remaining broth at a gentle simmer throughout the risotto cooking. The broth must be hot when it meets the rice. Cold broth shocks the starch and prevents proper creaminess.

8. 8

   Toast the rice

   In a wide, heavy-bottomed pan, heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the rice all at once. Stir constantly for 2 minutes, coating every grain with fat. The rice will become slightly translucent at the edges while remaining opaque at the center. You should hear a gentle clicking sound as the grains toast. Do not let them color.

9. 9

   Add wine and begin building

   Pour in the wine. It will sizzle dramatically. Stir constantly until the wine is completely absorbed and you can no longer smell raw alcohol. Now add the saffron with its soaking liquid. The rice will turn gold immediately. This is the color of proper risotto alla Milanese.

10. 10

    Add broth gradually

    Begin adding the hot broth one ladleful at a time, stirring constantly. Wait until each addition is nearly absorbed before adding the next. The rice should always be moist but never swimming. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. This process takes 18 to 22 minutes. There are no shortcuts. The stirring releases the starch that creates risotto's characteristic creaminess.

    Taste the rice at 16 minutes. It should be tender but with a barely perceptible firmness at the center of each grain. Italians call this 'al'onda,' flowing like a wave when you shake the pan.
11. 11

    Finish the risotto

    When the rice is cooked, remove the pan from heat. Add the cold butter and the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for 30 seconds. This final step, called mantecatura, creates the silky texture that distinguishes proper risotto. Season with salt if needed. The risotto should flow slowly when spooned onto a plate, spreading gently to the edges. If it sits in a mound, it is too thick. Add another splash of broth.

12. 12

    Serve immediately

    Spoon the risotto onto warm plates, spreading it slightly. Place one osso buco beside the risotto, spooning the braising sauce over and around. Scatter gremolata generously over the veal, not the rice. Serve immediately. The risotto will not wait. Pass additional Parmigiano-Reggiano at the table, though purists may object.

Chef Tips

• •Coordinate your timing carefully. The osso buco can wait, covered, in a 200°F oven for up to 30 minutes. The risotto cannot wait at all. Begin the risotto exactly 25 minutes before you want to eat.
• •Provide small spoons for the marrow. In Milan, this is understood. The marrow is the most prized part of the dish. Spread it on bread or eat it directly from the bone.
• •Carnaroli rice holds its shape better than Arborio during the long cooking. If you can find it, use it. Vialone Nano is also excellent, though traditionally Venetian rather than Milanese.
• •The braising liquid should be rich enough to coat a spoon by the time the meat is tender. If it seems thin, remove the shanks and reduce the liquid over high heat before serving.
• •Leftover osso buco reheats beautifully. Leftover risotto does not. Make only as much risotto as you will serve. The veal can be refrigerated for three days.

Advance Preparation

• •The osso buco can be braised one day ahead and refrigerated in its sauce. The flavors deepen overnight. Reheat gently, covered, in a 300°F oven for 30 minutes.
• •The gremolata ingredients can be prepped (parsley chopped, lemon zested, garlic minced) and stored separately, then combined just before serving.
• •The risotto must be made fresh. There is no making it ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 600g)