Ossobuco di agnello (Italian lamb shanks)

For ➋* 

2 (about 800 g total) lamb shanks 

extra-virgin olive oil 

kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper** 

1 large sweet onion, sliced 

10 cl red wine 

1 head (10 to 12 whole cloves) garlic, separated & peeled 

1 (700 g) can chopped tomatoes 

10 cl water (or more) chopped parsley for garnish

 

Pat meat dry. Rub lamb shanks with olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper.** Heat a heavy casserole. When hot, drizzle a thin layer of olive oil to coat the bottom. Sear the lamb shanks until browned and remove from the pot. To the same pot, add 1 ts of olive oil and the sliced sweet onions. Toss to coat with the pan drippings. Reduce heat and cover. Sweat the onions until limp but not browned, stirring often. When they are limp, add the wine and cook for 2 m, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add garlic cloves, tomatoes, and 10 cl of water. Stir to combine, then return the lamb shanks to the pot. Reduce heat to low and simmer, turning lamb shanks occasionally, for 1-1½ h or until tender. Add additional water if the sauce becomes too thick. Serve braised lamb shanks with cooked pasta, rice, mashed potatoes or polenta. Sprinkle with parsley.

*double quantities for ➍ 

** to give it a more authentic Italian flavour, add ½ bunch fresh thyme, ½ bunch fresh rosemary picked clean and chopped; flour to lightly coat the shanks

Ossobuco alla Milanese (Milanese veal shanks)

For ➍
2 tbs olive oil
25 g flour, to dust
4 pieces of veal shank, about 4 cm thick
50 g butter
1 onion, finely chopped*
1 carrot, finely chopped*
1 celery stick, finely chopped*
1 head of garlic, cut horizontally
2 strips of lemon zest
4 sage leaves
20 cl white wine
20 cl chicken stock
flour
gremolada

Set a casserole dish wide enough to hold the meat in one layer over a high heat. Add the oil. Put the flour on to a small plate and season generously, then use to coat the meat. When the oil is hot, add the meat to the pan and brown well on both sides until golden and crusted. Set aside on a plate.
Turn the heat down and add ¾ of the butter to the pan. When melted, add the onion, carrot and celery, plus a sprinkle of salt, and cook until soft. Add the garlic halves, lemon zest and sage to the pan and cook for a few m more.
Turn up the heat then add the wine to the pan. Return the meat, standing it on top of the vegetables, and bubble until the wine has reduced by half. Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer.
Turn the heat right down, cover and simmer for 1½ to 2 h, carefully turning the meat over every 30 m, until it is tender enough to cut with a spoon. Meanwhile, mix together the gremolada ingredients.
Dot with the remaining butter and allow to melt into the sauce, then serve with the gremolade and risotto alla Milanese or wet polenta.

*Double the vegetables for a tastier result.

This recipe was suggested by the Guardian to be the best Milanese ossobuco, after comparing several recipes.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2014/mar/06/how-to-cook-perfect-osso-buco.

Ossobuco with tomatoes

For ➍
4 veal shanks of 300 g each (approx. 5 cm thick with bone and marrow)
12 cl /8 tbs olive oil
1 large onion
2 carrots
3-4 celery stalks
2 bay leaves
25 cl white wine
400 g canned diced tomatoes***
50 cl herbal stock
flour
pepper (& salt*)
Parmigiano cheese
gremolada
saffron risotto** or penne pasta**

Make cuts in the rind of the shanks. Brush oil on the shanks. Dust veal shanks in flour. Heat oil in a (preferably) low pot. Brown the veal shanks on both sides, remove from the pan and set aside.
Fry cleaned, washed and chopped vegetables in remaining drippings. Add bay leaf, extinguish with white wine, tomatoes and stir.
Add (salt), pepper, herbs, stock and the shanks. The shanks should be immersed but not covered by the liquids. Simmer for 90 m. (Remove the lid to reduce the liquids).
Put shanks and sauce on a platter. Sprinkle with the gremolada.
Serve with risotto or penne pasta and freshly grated Parmigiano.

Gremolada

For ➍
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbs grated (untreated) lemon zest*
1 bunch parsley, chopped

Finely chop garlic, mix with lemon zest and chopped parsley.
Serve with ossobuco.

*Use other citrus zests instead.

Couscous & veal shank

For ➍
1 kg veal shank
500 g couscous
1 large sweet onion
150 g chickpeas, soaked or canned
1 butternut squash
2 carrots
1 zucchini
1 l chicken stock
1.5 cinnamon stick
1 tbs ginger powder or ras-el-hanout
1 ts turmeric (or a few strands of saffron)
2 tbs butter or good smen

Cut the rind of the shank pieces to avoid curling.
Peel the onions and chop coarsely. Sauté them in a dash of olive oil at the bottom of the couscoussière or large casserole. Add the veal shank and 1 tbs of butter. Allow to simmer without browning.
Sprinkle the couscous in a large bowl and add a pinch of salt. Pour 1 tbs of olive oil over the couscous and mix the grains well together so they do not stick together.
Add the lukewarm water until the grains are well wet, but not dripping. Allow 5 to 7 m to dry. Rub  the couscous loose between the hands so that the grains are detached from each other. Or make couscous according to instructions on the box *.
Season the meat with the cinnamon stick, saffron, ginger powder, pepper and salt. Deglaze the veal shanks with the stock and simmer for 10 m.
Cut the carrots in pieces of 5 cm. Add the carrots. Peel the butternut squash and cut into pieces of 5 by 5 cm. Add the pumpkin. Add the chickpeas (if canned or jar, add 10 m before the end of cooking). Simmer again for 10 m. Add zucchini.
Full cooking time: ± 1h (possibly slightly shorter for the vegetables).
[Meanwhile steam the couscous. Put the grains in the steam basket of the couscousière and place on top of the pot with the meat. Let stand until the couscous is visible through the steam of the dish.
Remove the couscous from the steamer and sprinkle lightly with water. Rub the couscous loose again in the hands. Repeat this process two more times.]
Before serving, add 1 tbs of butter to the couscous.
Serve the couscous in a large bowl with the meat on top. Dress the chickpeas, onion and butternut and vegetables around the veal shanks and pour over a few spoonfuls of the sauce.