Mains

Osso buco

Source
NOMU (www.nomu.co.za), printed 13 November 2016

Ingredients

Osso buco

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (NOMU is a South African brand.)
  • 12 small beef shin slices (osso buco cut)
  • sea salt, to taste
  • plain flour, for dusting
  • 2 shallots (or 1 large onion), thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp beef or roast spice rub (The printout names NOMU's Beef, Roast or One for All rub; any savoury meat rub will do.)
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 celery stick, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes, organic (A 400 g can.)
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp concentrated beef stock (fond)
  • 1 litre hot water, with the beef fond stirred in4¼ cups hot water, with the beef fond stirred in
  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • black pepper, to taste

Gremolata

  • 1 lemon, organic, zest only
  • ¼ cup parsley, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Method

Gremolata

  1. Mix the lemon zest, parsley and garlic together in a small bowl.

Method

  1. Season the shins with salt, pepper and the spice rub, then coat them lightly in flour and shake off the excess. Warm half the oil in a casserole or deep frying pan over a medium heat and brown the meat well on both sides. Lift out and set aside.
  2. Put the rest of the oil in the pan and soften the onion until translucent. Stir in the carrot, celery and garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
  3. Pour in the wine and let it bubble until almost all of it has cooked away.
  4. Put the meat back in the pan with the tomatoes, tomato paste, stock and rosemary sprigs. Season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil.
  5. Turn the heat down, cover and simmer gently for about 2 hours, until the meat falls off the bone and the sauce is thick and rich.

Notes

  • A perfect winter dish, lovely with a glass of red wine.
  • Serve on mashed potatoes or creamy polenta, sprinkled with the gremolata.