Osso buco with risotto alla Milanese

Serves 4–6 Preparation 20 minutes Cooking 2 hours 15 minutes

2 tbsp (40ml) extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp butter

2 brown onions, diced

2 carrots, coarsely chopped

2 sticks celery, chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/3 cup (50g) plain flour

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 ½ kg veal osso buco

½ cup (125ml) dry white wine

400g can whole peeled tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 bay leaves

2–3 cups (500–750ml) chicken stock

Risotto alla Milanese

6 cups (1.5L) chicken stock

Pinch saffron threads

60g butter

1 tbsp (20ml) extra virgin olive oil 1 small brown onion, finely chopped 2 cups (400g) arborio, carnaroli or

vialone nano rice

½ cup (125ml) dry white wine

½ cup (40g) freshly grated Parmesan

cheese plus more for serving

Gremolata

Zest of one unwaxed lemon 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1. Pre-heat oven to 165°C.

2. Heat half the oil and butter in a large, heavy based saucepan or stock pot, and add vegetables and cook until softened. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

3. Add remaining oil and butter to the pan. Toss the veal pieces in seasoned flour and add, turning to brown evenly all over.

4. Pour over the wine and bring to the boil. Return the cooked vegetables and add tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves and enough stock to cover. Bring to the boil then cover pot and place in pre-heated oven for approx. 2 hours, or until the sauce is reduced and the meat is falling off the bones. Stir once during this time and ensure the sauce is covering the meat. Can also be gently simmered on stove for the same time, but will need stirring more often.

5. Meanwhile for risotto, heat stock and saffron in saucepan or microwave and keep warm. Heat oil and 40g butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, approx. 3 mins. Add rice and toast, stirring, until coated with oil and butter, about 3 mins. Add wine and cook until evaporated.

Add 1 cup (250ml) of stock and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Reduce heat to medium low. Continue adding stock, about ½ cup at a time, stirring frequently until absorbed. Repeat until rice is just tender and creamy but still al dente, approx. 25 mins. Remove from the heat and stir in remaining butter, Parmesan and season only if necessary as stock can be salty.

6. For the gremolata: combine ingredients.

7. Stir ¾ gremolata through the osso buco and serve immediately sprinkled with remaining gremolata and with risotto and extra Parmesan.

Lyndey’s note: Veal osso buco can be hard to find and only yearling beef is available. Ideally you want one piece per person with bone and marrow in it. Gremolata can be used to spike up many dishes: pasta, seafood, pork, chicken, casseroles and pizza.

Wine

Osso buco needs a wine with similar characters, so pour a glass of our featured Grenache from Dandelion Vineyards.