Craving mum’s food…

When I’m on the phone with my mum, we can’t help talking about food at one moment or another. Did I tell you what a wonderful cook she is? I’m sure I did. But it’s ok, I can’t say it enough, anyway.
She’s the first one I call for cooking tips and I’m not the only one… I love how she tells me about food. Her recipes are like her: original and very a bit crazy sometimes, full of love and passion, always elegant, always inspiring. Not always easy to follow though… she never measures anything, or writes down anything, always cook following her instincts, it’s a pinch of this and a drop of that, abracadabra et Voila! and I like it like that. She’s taking me on a culinary journey where I’m free to add my own touch of gourmandise.

Until I get to enjoy her cooking again at Christmas… just for her and you, I’ve cooked an old family favourite in the cold season, osso bucco a la milanese. I know she’ll love it. I hope you will too.

Osso Bucco Milanese
Osso Bucco a la milanaise

serves 4 pers.
prep: 15 min. cook: 1 hr.

Ingredients:
4 slices of veal shank (~ 4 cm thick), rinsed with cold water and dried with kitchen paper,
40 g butter,
plain flour for dusting,
1 onion peeled and chopped,
1 celery branch, chopped,
2 medium sized carrots, peeled and chopped,
1 bay leaf,
15 cl dry white wine,
15 cl meat stock or water,
2 Tsp tomato paste,
sea salt, freshly ground pepper and chili pepper to taste.

For the Gremolata*:
zest of 1 biologic orange or lemon, finely chopped
1 handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped.

Dust the slices of veal knuckle generously on both sides. Melt the butter in a cocotte (or a large pan with a thick bottom) on high heat and brown the knuckles on all sides. Lower the heat to medium heat and stir in the onions, carrots and celery. Season to taste with salt, pepper and chili pepper. Stir gently for 5 to 10 minutes or until the onions just begin to color.

Turn the stove to high heat again, pour half of the wine and cook until evaporated. Lower the heat and pour the rest of the wine and the stock or water. Simmer covered on low heat for 40 minutes.

Mix the tomato paste with 1 Tsp of hot water and stir into the cocotte. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes or until the liquid has partly evaporated and the sauce has thickened nicely.

Prepare the Gremolata: mix the finely chopped lemon or orange zest and parsley together. You can set the gremolata aside and reserve it for service or stir half of it in the cocotte to infuse the sauce.

Serve hot, with rice or a risotto Milanese as they do in Italy or with Tagliatelle as we do in my family
Bon appétit!

* Although the Gremolata is kind of optional, I think it’s what really brings another dimension to Osso bucco.