Ossobuco con Gremolata

Born in a small fishing village near Naples, restaurateur Arturo di Rosa attended culinary school at fourteen, before working in fine ristoranti from Firenze to Roma. Coming to America at twenty-eight, Arturo realized his dream of owning his own place, Capri, in Indianapolis, IN. Here, Arturo shares his favorite recipe for Ossobuco con Gremolata!

Ossobuco con Gremolata

Veal Shank Ingredients:

• ½ cup flour
• 4 2” thick veal shanks, about one pound each
• 4 tablespoons fresh extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup chopped yellow onion
• ½ cup diced celery
• ½ cup peeled, diced carrots
• ⅓ cup diced fennel
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons fresh marjoram leaves
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1½ cups strips of peeled tomato
• 1 cup dry Italian white wine
• 2 cups beef stock

Ossobuco Instructions

Use kitchen twine to bind meat around each shank to keep it on the bone during cooking. Season meat with salt and pepper. Roll shanks in flour to coat all sides evenly; shake to remove excess flour.

Heat olive oil in deep skillet over medium-high flame. When oil is hot, lightly brown shanks, about 4-6 minutes per side. Remove shanks from pan and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium-low; add onion, carrot, celery, fennel, and garlic. Sauté until edges of onion are translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add white wine to deglaze the pan. Add marjoram, thyme, bay leaf, and a pinch of salt and pepper; stir until blended. Add tomatoes and stock; bring to brief boil, then reduce to a low simmer.

Add shanks to sauce in pan and cover with lid. Cook two to three hours, turning shanks over occasionally and adding moisture to sauce as needed. When meat is tender and falling off of the bone, remove from heat. Plate individual shanks bone-side up. Remove bay leaf from tomato sauce; spoon sauce over shanks. Sprinkle each shank with gremolata and serve!

Gremolata Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped fresh Italian flat-leafed parsley
• 2 tablespoons minced lemon zest
• 1 large garlic clove minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• pinch of salt and pepper

Gremolata Instructions:

Add parsley, lemon zest, garlic, oil, salt, and pepper to mixing bowl. Stir thoroughly. Set aside until shanks are done and ready to serve.

About Ossobuco alla Milanese

Ossobuco (oh-so-boo-coe) alla Milanese, braised veal shank slow cooked to tender perfection, originated in Lombardia, perhaps as early as the 1700s. The name ossobuco (literally “hollow bone”) refers to the marrow-rich oval cross-cut bone at its center. Just before serving, ossobuco is traditionally seasoned with a fresh spread made from finely minced garlic, lemon zest, and Italian parsley known as gremolata (greh-moe-la-tah).