Osso buco with gremolata served over pasta
Inspired by a dish we once enjoyed at Almon Marina (it's been off the menu for a while), the beef shank is cooked the Italian osso buco stew style and served with the likewise traditional gremolata. The pasta is tossed in osso buco sauce.
Servings 3 people
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large cross-cut bone-in beef shank or three small ones
- ⅓ cup chopped onion
- ⅓ cup chopped celery
- ⅓ cup chopped carrot
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- salt
- pepper
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ⅓ cup tomato paste
- bone broth
- cooked pasta for three
- grated Parmesan cheese
For the gremolata
- finely grated zest of one lemon
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- salt
Instructions
- In a pan wide enough to accommodate all pieces of beef shanks in a single layer, heat the olive oil and butter.
- Brown the beef shanks on all sides. Scoop up with a slotted spoon.
- Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and oregano to the oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, scraping the pan, for about a minute.
- Pour in the wine. Stir and scrape once more to loosen the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Allow to boil, uncovered, for about five minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste.
- Arrange the beef shanks in a single layer in the pan.
- Pour in enough broth to reach to about 3/4 of the height of the shanks.
- Season with more salt and pepper.
- Simmer for about two hours or until the beef is fork tender. Make sure to check the amount of liquid as the beef simmers away. Add more broth, about half a cup at a time, if needed, and adjust the seasonings each time.
- While the beef simmers, make the gremolata by mixing together the grated lemon zest, three tablespoons of chopped parsley, two tablespoons of minced garlic and salt.
- When the meat is tender, scoop out the shanks carefully and keep hot.
- Pour the sauce into a strainer set over a large bowl. Using the back of a spoon, press as much of the soft vegetables through the strainer.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss well.
- Ladle pasta into a plate or bowl and top with the osso buco.
- Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and gremolata.