Ossobucco
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Ossobucco

By Ruth Watson

This classic veal recipe provides the staple for a magnificent Italian Sunday lunch

  • Ready in 2¾ hours
  • Serves 6
  • Easy

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 383
  • fat 23g
  • saturates 10g
  • carbs 7g
  • sugars 1g
  • fibre 1g
  • protein 32g
  • salt 1.15g

Ingredients

  • 10g packet dried porcini
  • 6 thick cut veal shin bone, complete with marrow. Ask your butcher for hind quarter shin bones (about 4cm thick), as they're meatier and more tender than the front ones
  • a small handful of plain flour, seasoned
  • 50g unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large carrot, diced
  • 1 large celery stick, trimmed and diced
  • 200ml dry white wine
  • 225ml tomatoes sugocasa or passata
  • 1 tsp Marigold Swiss vegetable bouillon powder dissolved in 250ml/9fl oz hot water

Tip

Getting ahead
Ossobucco is best made on the day. If you do want to cook it the day before, bring it to room temperature before very gently re-heating – and be prepared to add a little more stock or passata, if necessary.

Method

  1. Soak the porcini for at least 15 minutes in 200ml/7fl oz boiling water. Don't remove the membrane that holds the veal together, but trim off any obviously fatty or lumpy bits. Dust both sides of the meat with the seasoned flour.

  2. Heat the butter and oil in a very large flameproof sauté pan or casserole over a medium-high heat. When the sizzling stops, put in the veal and fry the slices for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Transfer the meat to a plate.

  3. Replace the pan over a low to medium heat and tip in the carrot and celery. Gently fry for 5 minutes until the vegetables have slightly softened, then raise the heat and pour in the wine. Bubble the wine furiously for 2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.

  4. Fish the softened porcini out of the soaking liquid, squeeze out the excess moisture and reserve it. Chop the porcini roughly and add to the sauté pan, together with the soaking liquid. Add the sugocasa or passata and stock, then stir.

  5. Put the veal back into the pan in a single layer, cover and bring to the boil. Immediately reduce the heat and simmer very gently for 2 hours, turning the veal slices halfway, until the meat is very soft. The liquid should reduce to a thickish sauce, but if it’s still thin after 1¼ -1½ hours, half remove the lid to allow evaporation. Serve with the grain 'risotto' (see link, right).

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