Recipe for Osso Buco Bianco Milanese

Ingredients

• 6 Veal Shanks roughly the same size
• 2 ribs of celery, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 6 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 4- 6 sprigs of fresh thyme chopped, (roughly 1 teaspoon)
• 4 cups of chicken stock
• 1 cup of dry white wine
• the peel of 1 medium lemon (make sure the white pith is completely removed)
• 3 sprigs of rosemary
• 5 sage leaves
• 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 4- 6 anchovy filets
• 1 teaspoon of capers
• Salt and pepper to taste

Gremolata

• 1 bunch of parsley, finely chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1 clove of garlic, grated

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Season the veal shanks well with salt and pepper and let rest at room temperature for a half hour.
2. In your 8 qt All-Clad Rondeau, heat 2 tbsp of neutral oil over medium heat. When hot, working in batches, add the veal shanks and sear on both sides for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Turn the heat in the rondeau down to medium-low. Add the butter to the pot. When melted add the carrots, celery, and onion. Sauté for 6-8 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and the onions are translucent. Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, sage, and lemon peel. Let cook for one minute. Stir in the anchovy filets along with the capers until the anchovies are dissolved into the mixture.
4. Deglaze the pan with white wine. Let reduce by half. Add the stock to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Return the Veal shanks to the pot and bring to a simmer. This slow braise is what gives an osso buco recipe its signature tenderness and depth of flavor.
5. Once simmering, cover the rondeau, and place into the oven for 2 to 2/12 hours or until the shanks are fork tender.
6. While the Osso Buco cooks in the oven make the gremolata. Combine the ingredients and mix together gently.
7. When the Osso Buco is cooked remove it from the oven and place it back on the stovetop under low heat.
8. Carefully remove the shanks from the pot. Remove the bay leaves and herb stems. Using an immersion blender, blend the braising liquid until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed with salt and pepper.
9. Return the shanks to the pot along with one sprig of thyme and rosemary and return the pot to a very low simmer for another 15 minutes to blend the flavors and reduce the liquid a bit more. When complete, top with the gremolata immediately. Serve over a creamy polenta. The bright gremolata adds contrast and helps balance the richness of this osso buco recipe italian classic.

Pro Tip

This dish can also be done in a red sauce instead of bianco. Add 1-28 oz can of peeled tomatoes with the stock and 1 tablespoon of tomato paste with the anchovies before deglazing. Whether you prefer the bianco style or a tomato-based variation, ossobuco alla milanese is all about slow cooking, layered flavor, and serving the shanks when perfectly tender.