Osso Buco with Polenta & Gremolata

INGREDIENTS

• 1-2 pounds osso buco (beef, pork, boar, mutton, or goat - you decide!)

• 1 tsp Kosher salt

• ½ tsp ground black pepper

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour

• 2-3 tbsps olive oil for drizzling

• ½ red or yellow onion diced

• 2 celery stalks cut into ½ inch slices

• 2 medium sized carrots peeled and cut into ½ inch chunks

• 2 garlic cloves chopped finely

• 2 tbsps tomato paste

• 1 cup red wine

• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary tied in a bundle with the thyme

• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme tied in a bundle with the rosemary

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 cups bone broth

• 1 pint mushrooms button or cremini, quartered

  For Gremolata:

• ¾ cup fresh parsley leaves finely chopped

• 1 garlic clove grated

• 2 Tbsps lemon zest from about 1 lemon

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 325°F and season the osso buco shanks with salt and pepper and dredge in flour on all sides. Bring a wide Dutch oven to medium-high heat on the stove and drizzle with olive oil. Sear the shanks on all sides until caramelized and browned. It does not have be to cooked all the way, just seared on the outside. When done, reserve the shanks on a plate and set aside. Add the chopped onion, celery, carrot and garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes to soften. Add the tomato paste and saute for another 1-2 minutes until deepened in color. Pour in red wine and deglaze the pan. Use a sturdy spatula and scrape off the meaty bits from the bottom of the pan. Allow the wine to reduce for a few minutes until it gets slightly thicker. Place the shanks back in the Dutch oven with the vegetables and pour in the bone broth. Scatter the mushrooms around the shanks and nestle in the herbs and bay leaves. Cover the Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid and place in the center of the oven. Roast for 2-4 hours, or until the shanks are fork tender and liquid has reduced. Once done, remove from the oven and serve with creamy polenta and top with herb gremolata.

To make gremolata, finely chop parsley leaves on a cutting board and set aside. Use a microplane or small grated to grate lemon zest and a clove of fresh garlic. Give everything a good chop together and stir to combine.

Adapted from Ferraro Kitchen