Weekend Recipe: Sunday Night in Port Moody Osso Buco
This is one of my favourite comfort food dinners.
Slow food at its finest, this dish is easy to prepare, and the results are rustic but kind of fancy for a dinner at home. Veal shanks are more classic, but I prefer buying beef for lots of reasons. You will probably not find shanks at a grocery store so go to your local butcher or call ahead for pick up. Make sure to advise the butcher of how many people you are serving so that they can choose the appropriate shank sizing.
Do serve with polenta! Polenta is basically cornmeal and it is absolutely amazing side dish. If you get the quick version, it takes five minutes in boiling water. Then load in a couple of dollops of butter and a ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese – season with salt and pepper and voila. Make sure to make this when your main is ready to go as it begins to harden fast. You want it to be hot and creamy.
PS: DO NOT skip the gremolata, it adds such a wonderful spark to this meal.
Sunday Night in Port Moody Osso Buco
For 2-4
2-4 beef shanks cut thickly across (keep in mind the size of your Dutch oven so they sit in one layer)
½ onion, diced
1 small carrot, diced
1 celery stick, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp tomato paste
4 thyme sprigs
1 large Bay leaf
1 - 14oz can chopped tomatoes
1 cup red wine
2 cups beef stock
Flour for dusting
salt & pepper
Avocado or grapeseed oil
Gremolata:
½ bunch parsley (1/2 cup chopped)
1 garlic clove
Zest from 1 organic lemon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large Dutch oven on medium high with oil. Season shanks with salt and pepper then dust with flour and shake before adding to pan. Brown to golden on each side and then remove to a plate. Add the carrots, celery and onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until softening. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add wine and make sure to scrape up browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add tomatoes, beef stock, Bay leaf and thyme and bring to a simmer. Add beef shanks making sure they are submerged. If not enough liquid to cover the shanks, add more beef stock. Cover and put into the oven for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Pour yourself a glass of wine.
While the shanks are cooking make the gremolata. Chop together the parsley leaves with the garlic and stir together.
When timer goes off, remove from oven and make the polenta.
Serve on a pile of buttery polenta and top with gremolata. Enjoy!
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