BRAISED VEAL SHANKS

Braised Veal Shanks image

Provided by Anthony Bourdain

Yield Makes 4 main-course servings

Number Of Ingredients 21

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For stew
2 cups veal demiglace (16 fl oz)*
4 (1-lb) meaty cross-cut veal shanks (osso buco), each tied with kitchen string
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, cut into 1/4-inch dice (2 cups)
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 cup)
2 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 cup)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes in juice, drained and coarsely chopped
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf (preferably fresh)
For gremolata
2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest
3/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
Accompaniment: wild mushroom risotto

Steps:

Make stew:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat to 350°F.
Bring demiglace to a simmer in a 1-quart saucepan over moderate heat. Remove from heat and keep warm, partially covered.
Pat shanks dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dredge shanks in flour to coat, shaking off excess. Heat oil in a 5- to 6-quart wide heavy ovenproof pot over moderately high heat until just smoking, then brown shanks on all sides, about 10 minutes total, and transfer with tongs to a plate. Add butter to pot and heat until foam subsides, then sauté onions, carrots, celery, and garlic, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 9 minutes.
Add wine, scraping up any brown bits, then add warm demiglace, tomatoes, and bay leaf. Return shanks (with any juices accumulated on plate) to pot and bring liquid to a boil, then cover pot and braise shanks in oven until meat is very tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
Carefully transfer shanks with a slotted spoon to a clean plate and keep warm, loosely covered with foil. Skim fat from sauce, then simmer, uncovered, on top of stove, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper and add shanks, then cook over low heat until heated through. (Discard strings and bay leaf before serving.)
Make gremolata:
Stir together parsley, zest, rosemary, and thyme and sprinkle over osso buco just before serving.
*Available at specialty foods shops and cooking.com.