Friday Night Feasts: Date Night Osso Buco & Barolo

I blogged about Osso Buco way back when in culinary school, but now shit's about to get real. I'm not some bright eyed (ha...) culinary student waking up at 4:45am anymore (quiver.)

I am someone's wife...and tonight it's date night....well, Friday was date night, but you get it. 

Richard and I have received some pretty awesome advice over our time together... two of our favorites being "always have date night," and "once a week, tell each other everything that is bugging you about the other person." So, we have started combining the two. A romantic dinner for two followed by one (or two) bottles of wine and some hefty conversation. Sounds miserable, but after some wine I tend to get chatty and lovey, so it really ends up working out in everyone's favor. Once I'm a little tipsy you can tell me I'm a huge crazy bitch and I'll probably just start making out with you. (Don't get any ideas.... I'm a married woman now---butterflies.)

So, on this weeks menu we had Osso Buco served with saffron risotto and an amazing Barolo. I'm pretty sure I have said before that my favorite things to cook are those that take patience and hours braising in wine. There's nothing like the smell that wafts through the house on a braised short ribs or coq au vin kinda night. Mmm. Osso Buco is just that. Veal shanks braised in stock and wine.... an Italian delicacy. Served with saffron risotto this dish is to die for. And you MUST drink a nice heavy Italian red.... my fave being a good Barolo.

We got some pretty wonderful cookbooks as wedding gifts, so in my attempt to romantically cook my way through them- this recipe can also be found in Williams Sonoma Bride & Groom Cookbook. (Thank you Erin and Joe!)

Osso Buco with Saffron Risotto 

Ingredients

3/4 cup four

Kosher Salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

2 center cut veal shanks

5 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, finely diced

1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced

2 ribs celery, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 bay leaves

3/4 cup dry white wine

1 cup beef stock (more as needed)

1 can (28oz) Roma tomatoes, drained and chopped

2 tsp orange zest, chopped

2 springs fresh thyme

1 small sprig fresh rosemary

Parsley, chopped for garnish

Saffron risotto (recipe here)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine the flour with salt and pepper and spread on a plate. Dredge the veal shanks in the flour mixture and coat evenly. Shake off excess flour. 

In a heavy, oven proof pan with a tight fitting lid (large enough for both shanks in a single layer) heat olive oil over high heat. Place the veal in the pan and brown evenly, about 4-5 minutes on each side. Set veal aside. 

In the same pan, brown onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and bay leaves with a pinch of salt. Cook until golden brown, but be careful not to burn. Cook about 8-10 minutes. 

Add the wine and deglaze the pan, stirring to loosen up any caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the stock and reduce by half. Add the tomatoes, orange zest, and herbs and cook for about 5 minutes. 

Return the veal shanks to the pan. The tomato mixture should cover the shanks about 2/3 of the way... if not the add a little more stock. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and braise in the oven for 2 hours, turning the shanks every 30 minutes to ensure even braising. If the liquid gets too low while cooking, add more stock. 

When the shanks are done, they will be extremely tender. Remove the shanks and set aside. Discard the bay leaves and reduce the sauce until it is a nice velvety consistency. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. 

To serve, spoon sauce over the shank and place on top of risotto. Garnish with chopped parsley and a big glass of wine. 

this one is WONDERFUL!

P.S. Osso Buco literally means "bone with a hole" referring to the extremely flavorful marrow lodged in the middle of each shank bone. I save this part for Marco. 

Osso bucco with risotto milanese.

As anti kill and eat poor baby cows as I am, I am very pro meat being so tender that it falls of the bone and melts in your mouth......

Moral dilemma. What else is new?

osso bucco with risotto milanese.

Ingredients:

Veal shank

Onion

Celery

Carrots

Garlic

Tomato paste

Flour

Tomato- seeded and sliced

Orange zest

White wine

Veal stock

Thyme

Bay leaf

Olive oil

Butter

Salt and pepper

Method:

Heat oil in large dutch oven (Le Creuset, duh.) Sear both sides of the veal shank and set aside. In the same pot saute the onion, carrot, and celery until they begin to color. Add garlic and saute for 2  minutes. Dust ingredients with flour and cook another 2-3 minutes. Stir well. Add tomatoes and cook until the liquid evaporates. Add orange zest and then deglaze the pan with white wine. Reduce the wine, add herbs, and return the veal to the pot. Add enough stock to almost cover the meat. Cover and braise until soft (2-3 hours)

While the veal is braising you can make the risotto milanase. 

Ingredients:

Italian arborrio rice

Bone marrow (optional, but delicious)

Warm chicken stock

Onion- finely chopped

White wine

Saffron

Butter

Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Method:

Heat oil in pan. Add bone marrow and cook over low heat until melted. You can use butter instead of bone marrow and somewhere a European with a better palate than you will cry. 

Sweat the onion until it is soft. Add the rice and cook until opaque. Add white wine and saffron. Turn the heat up to medium high and cook until all of the wine has been absorbed. Add some chicken stock and stir the rice consistently until the liquid is completely absorbed. Repeat this step a few more times until the rice is 'al dente'  and the consistency is creamy, but not sticky. Finish the risotto with butter and parmesan cheese before serving. 

Back to the Osso Bucco....

Remove the dutch oven from the heat. Set the veal shank aside and strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer. If possible, push some of the veggies through for added flavor. Reduce the liquid in a medium saucepan until 'nappe' Finish with butter and season. 

Return the shank to the sauce and serve with risotto. 

I topped mine with chopped parsley, garlic, and lemon zest.

Day 21

I am so glad I am not a vegetarian. However, it has recently come to my attention that I would love to own a baby pig one day because they are insanely cute (baby piglet picture here)....and while this did cross my mind as I was searing my pork chop, I quickly forgot about their cute little noses and remembered how delicious they taste. I might go to hell.  We also made veal today. Seriously... I might go to hell.

Cotes de porc charcutière avec pommes purée.

Pork chop:

Pork chop

Butter 

Salt and pepper

Sauce:

Onions

White wine vinegar

White wine

Bouquet garni- thyme, bay leaf

Peppercorns

Veal Stock

Gherkins- Julienned

Dijon Mustard

Butter

Salt

Pureed potatoes:

Potatoes

Butter

Cream- reduced

Salt and Pepper

Method:

Begin by making potatoes because these take the longest and can be held until needed. 

Cook potatoes in boiling water until soft. Push through food mill or a china cap. Whisk in butter and cream until desired consistency. Cream should be hot and reduced prior to adding it to the potatoes. 

Season with salt. 

Next, season the pork chop and sear it in an oiled pan over high heat. A few minutes per side should be fine. Place pork chop on a pan and finish cooking it in the oven at about 375 degrees until it is cooked through. When it is finished it will be firm to the touch and 142 degrees at medium. 

Prepare the sauce in the pan you seared the pork chop in. Add a little oil if needed. Sauté onions.  Add a splash of white wine vinegar and about 1/2 a cup of white wine and reduce to 'au sec.' Add bouquet garni and add about 8 ounces of veal stock and reduce to 'nappe.' Add dijon mustard. Strain. Finish with a little butter and stir in julienned gherkins. 

Remove pork chop from oven. Plate the mashed potatoes and finish with sauce. 

Escalope de veau a la creme petits pois a la francaise. 

Veal Scaloppine in a mushroom cream sauce:

Veal

Flour

Oil

Sauce:

Butter

Button mushrooms- sliced

Cognac

Brown veal stock

Cream

Salt and Pepper

Petit Peas:

Bacon

Oil

Pearl onions

Sugar

Peas

Boston Lettuce- shredded

Method:

Pound the veal using a meat mallet until about 1/8 of an inch thick. Season veal and dredge in flour. Saute in an oiled pan over medium heat until just browned. Remove veal from pan and set aside. 

To prepare sauce,  add mushrooms to pan. When browned, flambe with cognac. Reduce. Add veal stock and reduce. Add cream, bring to a simmer, and add veal back to the pan to finish cooking. Finish sauce with finely chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper. 

To make the peas, begin by rendering bacon fat over medium heat until bacon is crispy. Add boston lettuce and peas. Sauté until lettuce is wilted. Season with salt and pepper. 

Serve veal with pommes puree (see above recipe) and petit peas.