Veal Osso Buco with Burnt Orange and Campari

From time to time I am reminded that people do read my blog. I do have followers. And to them I send my sincere apologies for being so inconsistent in posting. I struggle with time management. The farmers' market is over for the season but I continue to do lots of cooking even if it doesn't appear here.  I am always recipe testing for the Western Producer articles but my day to day cooking at the moment tends to be sporadic and uninspired.

Today I find my inspiration in one of my earlier cooking classes from November, 1996 at The Cookbook Company in Calgary. I remember the date because I bought the cookbook and inscribed the details inside the front cover. A man who became one of my favourite chefs prepared the meal that evening in a 'kitchen come cavern' in the basement of the popular cooking shop. I loved that space and wonder how it is used today. Classes are now in a larger main floor kitchen with natural light streaming highlighting crystals in the granite counters. It is bright, spacious and more of a kitchen than a dining room.

John Bishop, chef and owner of the perennially popular Bishop's Restaurant in Vancouver, was the presenter. This, taken from his restaurant website, sums up his persona perfectly ...

"Thoughtful, sincere and unassuming yet an unswerving perfectionist. John is a consummate host who in 22 years of business, has placed his brand of understated West Coast cuisine firmly on the map."
Tim Pawsey, Northwest Palate Magazine

Still after all these years he stands tall among chefs and he mentors new and experienced chefs alike.  

I have not made this recipe in a long, long time. A bottle of Campari in my cold room, beautiful veal shanks in my freezer and oranges in my refrigerator tell me it is about time I fill my kitchen with these warm aromas on this shivery cold autumn day.

Campari is generally associated with a thirst quenching summer cocktail. Its bittersweet herbal flavour is an acquired taste. A traditional pairing is orange juice so it does not surprise me at all to find oranges in this recipe. Carmelizing the orange slices layers on more complex flavours.

Serve over risotto with pan juices.

Veal shank is a less tender cut and requires long, moist cooking. If you have the time, do it this way. If time is not available a pressure cooker prepares perfectly good results. This can be served with a pasta such as fettuccine or a lentil ragout but the traditional Risotto alla Milanese is still my favourite.

Veal demi-glace is impossible to come by in a small town and making it is just about as impossible due to the scarcity of veal bones. Veal in any form is not readily available. The demi-glace is essentially a veal stock made in a traditional way and reduced to produce a more concentrated stock. I simply substitute more chicken stock.






And do not let the bone marrow find its way to the garbage. Dig it out with a little fork or knife and slather it on crusty bread for an additional treat.

Veal Osso Buco with Burnt Orange and Campari
adapted from Bishop's the cookbook

4 lbs. veal shanks, cut 1 1/2 inches thick
1 orange
1 c. red onions, finely diced
1 c. carrots, finely diced
1 c. celery, finely diced
4 garlic cloves
2 tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves
3 1/2 oz. Campari
2 c. veal demi-glace
1 c. chicken stock

Preheat oven to 350 F. Use a sharp knife to score the outside of the veal shanks, to help stop the meat from curling up while cooking.

Place the shanks in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Remove the shanks from the water and arrange in a roasting pan.

Slice the orange and sear in a hot frying pan, until golden in colour. Cover the blanched shanks with the orange slices, diced vegetables, garlic and rosemary. Pour the Campari over top.

In a saucepan, combine the demi-glace and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Pour over the shanks.
Cover the roasting pan with foil and place in the oven for 80 minutes.

To serve, place the veal shanks and sauce in large soup plates or bowls. This can also be served plated with risotto.

Veal Scallopini with Brown Butter and Capers

I am home again from a most amazing food holiday in the Okanagan in British Columbia. I attended two conferences back to back and ate like a queen for an entire week. I must say that coming home is a step down. You will read more about these events in my upcoming posts. I am still unpacking and sorting all the notes I took.

Whilst passing through Calgary I did have an opportunity to do some shopping. I was delighted to find veal at the Midtown Co-op. This is my favourite grocery in the city. Tonight I cooked veal scallopini aside rapini. Neither of these foods are available in my little town in Saskatchewan. Such a treat. You must try this recipe for a special meal. It is so simple with flavourful results.

Veal Scallopini with Brown Butter and Capers   from Epicurious.com

• 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 pound thin veal scallopini (less than 1/4 inch thick)
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 1/2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons drained small capers
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Heat a 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over high heat until hot, then add oil and heat until it shimmers.

Meanwhile, stir together flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then pat veal dry and dredge in flour, knocking off excess.

Cook veal in 2 batches, turning once, until browned and just cooked through, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.

Discard oil from skillet, then add butter and cook over medium heat, shaking skillet frequently, until browned and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in vinegar, capers, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Return veal to skillet just to heat through, then sprinkle with parsley.

Osso Buco with Risotto Milanese

This meal is a classic. The pairing of the rich tomato based sauce of the veal shank perfectly complements the simplicity of the saffron risotto. It is a meal that both impresses and pleases guests. This is the only time that you will see Risotto Milanese as a side dish.

We enjoyed this with a bottle of NK'MIP Cellars 2009 Merlot, a VQA wine from the Okanagan Valley. It was delicious.

Happy Easter!

Veal Osso Bucco          adapted from The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins

1 - 2 tbsp. olive oil
2 veal shanks
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c. diced sweet onions
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
pinch dried thyme
pinch dried rosemary
1 c. homemade beef broth
1 c. San Marzano canned tomatoes with a little of the puree
1/2 c. dry white wine

Heat olive oil in a cast iron Dutch oven. Season the veal shanks with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and sear on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside.
Saute onions, garlic and herbs until softened. Add wine to deglaze pan scraping up all the tasty bits from the bottom of the pan. Add tomatoes and beef broth. Bring back to a simmer, cover with lid and gently simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. The veal should be 'fall apart' tender.
This can be made the day before or earlier in the day for an easy dinner preparation.

Risotto Milanese

1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. finely diced shallots
pinch of saffron
approx. 1 c. chicken of pheasant stock
1 c. arborio rice
2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Gently heat olive oil in heavy pan and sweat the shallots. Add rice and stir to coat it completely. Heat stock and add pinch of saffron to hydrate it. Gradually add the stock to the rice. When the stock has been absorbed add more until the rice is cooked. The rice should be cooked but still chewy. Do not overcook. Grate parmesan over and mix. Serve immediately with more parmesan, if desired.

Dorie Greenspan's "Around My French Table"

I have had this cookbook for well over a year and have barely made a recipe. Digging through my freezer yielded some osso buco that I was saving for a special occasion. Well, today is the day for my lovely osso buco.

In the past I have always made an Italian version. After all, the Italians named this dish and theirs is the typical interpretation. However, Dorie has a French version that looks yummy and that is what I am making today.

Osso buco is veal shank and it means 'bone with a hole'. The shank is sawed into 3-inch slices and has a nice round bone filled with marrow. The marrow is one of the reasons that this dish is so revered. Spoon the marrow onto a piece of crusty bread, sprinkle with sea salt and enjoy.

Because this dish is braised for 2 hours there is always the chance that the meat will fall apart and lose its shape. Although it adds another step, if you tie the meat with kitchen string before braising will hold the shape for a nice presentation. Just snip the string and remove before plating. Your butcher may have already tied it with string.

This recipe can be made up to 2 days in advance of serving and then gently reheated on the stovetop or in the oven. Dorie's recipe used orange zest rather than lemon but I didn't have any oranges today. The lemon was also nice. Don't be afraid to use it liberally. It did not overpower the other flavours.

Osso Buco a L'Arman      adapted from Around My French Table
Serves 2

1 lemon
1 cup water
1 medium onion
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tsp herbes de Provence
4 oz thick tomato sauce
2 medium roma tomatoes, sliced
1/2 c chicken stock
2  3-inch slices veal shank
2 large carrots
olive oil

Preheat oven to 325F.

Remove the zest from the lemon with a vegetable being careful not to get any of the white pith. Pour water into small saucepan, add lemon zest and heat to boiling. Simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside.

Gently heat a Dutch oven over medium heat with about 2 tbsp olive oil. Add onions, garlic, herbs and cook for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, fresh tomatoes, chicken stock and a splash of the water that the lemon zest was cooked in. Reserve the rest of the lemon zest water.

Season sauce with salt and pepper and gently simmer while you prepare the osso buco.

With a large heavy pan heat it over medium high heat and add a splash of olive oil. Pat osso buco dry and season lightly with pepper. Lightly brown in pan. When browned on both sides remove with a slotted spoon and add to the sauce.

Pour oil out of pan and use the rest of the lemon zest water to deglaze and pick up all nice little brown bits and add this to the sauce in the Dutch oven.

Add a couple of strips of the lemon zest to the sauce. Scatter the carrots over the veal. Cover the mixture with a piece of parchment paper that fits the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Oven braise in the oven for 2 hours undisturbed with the lid on.  Remove from oven, remove lid and parchment paper. It should be fork tender. Skim off as much fat from the surface as you can before serving.

Serve with rice pilaf and a lemon olive salad.