Veal Osso Bucco with Cannellini Beans Recipe

Yesterday was the day that I tried cooking a dish I never thought I would ever cook in my life! The Osso Bucco. hubs and I watched an episode of Masterchef Australia and Gary Mehigan was cooking his version of osso bucco. Now for those of you who don't know what osso bucco means, it means 'bone with a hole'. Osso = bone, Bucco = hole. So as we watched Gary cook the dish, we knew this was one dish we had to try or actually, more like a dish I had to try cook. We were salivating by the time Gary took it out from the oven.

We already did our shopping last week so all I had to do was just prep and cook and shove the pot in the oven. One problem. I did not understand the recipe. There were cooking methods missing and ingredients stated but was not stated in the methods. It has been a long day today for us and there is nothing more I would love to do than to link you to the recipe but since the recipe is not complete, I feel it is my duty to state the right methods to cooking this beautiful dish. So here it is :



Ingredients :

• 1.5kg bobby veal shin, cut 2.5cm thick (about 12 pieces)
• 1 cup plain flour
• 100ml olive oil
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• ¼ bunch parsley stalks, leaves picked and roughly chopped, stalks reserved
• 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 3 cups white wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 sprigs thyme, leaves picked out
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 400g tin crushed tomato
• 3 cups veal stock ( alternatively you can use chicken stock, which is neutral to bring out the taste of the veal )
• 100g dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight ( if you choose to use beans from a can, make sure you wash the starch away )

To finish :

• Freshly cracked white pepper and sea salt
• ½ bunch parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 loaf crusty bread, thickly sliced

1. Preheat oven to 180⁰C.
2. Season meat with salt and white/black pepper, coat with flour then shake off excess.Heat oil in a frying pan, add meat, keep adding olive oil so not to burn the veal and panfry until caramelized. Put aside on plate.
3. In the same pot, add celery, onion, carrot, reserved parsley stalks, garlic. Add more pepper (optional), thyme and bay leaf. Cook for 10 minutes.
4. Add tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes and deglaze with wine. Scrape the bottom and cook for 1-2 minutes or till alcohol is evaporated.
5. Add crushed tomatoes, thyme, parsley, lemon zest, stir then add the stock.
6. Stir to mix then add in the veal and cannellini beans.
7. Cover with lid, put in oven and cook for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
8. Remove lid, check if sauce is to your liking. ( I like mine a little watery than thick ) If you prefer it thick and its watery, cook with lid removed for another 45 minutes in oven or until sauce has thickened.
9. Remove from oven. Spoon the veal and you know its perfectly cooked when the meat falls from the bone.
10. Sprinkle with cracked pepper, sea salt, chopped parsley and lemon zest.
11. Serve with crusty bread.

The ingredients isn't exactly like Gary's but the method is. I cooked it according to the recipe and although it turned out very nice, the sauce was a little thick. So I added another cup to the white wine and stock to make it a little more saucier. So there it is. A traditional, delicious osso bucco fit for a warm night in winter. I hope to hear from you if you decide to cook this dish.

Oh, I forgot to mention that with this dish, it is a must that you be VERY VERY VERY careful when handling the VERY hot pot. I can't stress enough how dangerous cooking this dish can get. I would know since I burnt myself twice, on the same hand, while making this dish! Hubs called me the clumsy chef because I just to happen to either cut or burn myself while cooking...somehow. It is also advisable to have your children attended to when handling this dish.

I would love to hear your comments on this dish and if there are any other way you have cooked this dish or added an extra ingredient, let me know. Would love to try it!

xoxo