Osso Buco with Parmesan Risotto

Sear the cut faces hard and the sides only lightly. The flat faces are where the crust matters and the sides are there to give the pot more fond. Then the gremolata takes orange zest as well as lemon, which is not traditional. There is already a strip of orange peel in the braise, so the zest on top reinforces the flavor.

Why You'll Love Osso Buco with Parmesan Risotto

Scaled perfectly for two, ideal for a refined dinner at home. Orange zest in gremolata mirrors the braise for harmony. Champagne adds lively acidity to the risotto.Parmesan rind fortifies risotto with nutty umami.

Tips and Tricks

• Don't rush the 8-10 minute vegetable caramelization. It anchors the sauce.
• Tomato paste caramelizes before garlic to avoid bitterness.
• Champagne or sparkling wine keeps risotto bright.

Variations

• Use Prosecco instead of champagne for a fruitier risotto.
• Plate over creamy polenta for rustic comfort.
• Add porcini mushrooms into risotto for earthiness.

Substitutions

• Veal shanks → beef or lamb shanks.
• Beef Tallow → olive oil or ghee.
• Parmesan → Grana Padano.

Best served with

• A glass of Barolo, Chianti Classico, or champagne to echo the risotto.
• Bitter greens with lemon vinaigrette.
• Crusty bread for sauce.

How to Store Leftovers

• Store braise and risotto separately. Refrigerate up to 3 days. Risotto may firm up. Revive with a splash of stock when reheating.
• Freeze braise up to 2 months.

Osso Buco with Parmesan Risotto

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Two cross-cut veal shanks seared in beef tallow and braised in wine and beef stock until the meat gives at a fork, with gremolata, over a Parmesan risotto deglazed with champagne.

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs

Servings: 2

Course: Dinner, Main Course, Meat

Cuisine: Californian, Italian

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

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Osso Buco

• 2 veal shanks about 12 oz each, cross-cut
• 1 tbsp Beef Tallow
• ½ yellow onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stalk
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 ½ tbsp tomato paste
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 ½ cups beef stock
• ½ bay leaf
• 1 thyme sprig
• ½ rosemary sprig
• 1 strip orange peel
• Sea salt

Gremolata

• 2 tbsp parsley
• ½ tbsp lemon zest
• ½ tbsp orange zest

Parmesan Risotto

• ¾ cups Arborio rice
• 3 cups warm Chicken Stock
• 1 small piece Parmesan rind
• ¼ cup Champagne
• 1 Shallot finely minced
• 2 tbsp Unsalted butter divided
• ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
• Sea salt
• Fresh cracked black pepper

Equipment

• Dutch oven or heavy braising pot
• Ladle
• Saucepan
• Mixing Bowls
• Microplane
• Wooden Spoon
• Tongs
• Chefs knife

Method

 

Make the Braise

1. Pat veal shanks dry, season lightly with salt.
2. Heat beef tallow in a Dutch oven over medium-high.
3. Sear shanks 3-4 minutes per side on the cut faces until a deep crust forms. You'll know it's ready to flip once it releases from the pan. It sticks because the crust is still forming, so don't nudge it around if it's not releasing. The protein will almost always tell you when it's ready.
4. Roll the shanks on their sides and give them a quick sear all around. You don't need to get them as dark as the cut faces, but a golden edge adds more fond to the pot and helps the collagen tighten evenly. Remove and set aside.
5. Add onion, carrot, celery to the pot. Cut the heat for 60 seconds. The onions will release moisture and naturally deglaze the pan.
6. Return heat to medium (lower than searing). Cook vegetables 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until caramelized.
7. Stir in tomato paste and cook 2-3 minutes, allowing it to caramelize and sweeten. You'll know you're ready to move on when the paste loses its raw smell and starts to stick to the pan. Those browned bits are flavor, and you get them all back the moment you deglaze.
8. Add garlic and cook 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
9. Deglaze with white wine, scraping fond. You'll know all of the bits have released when you run your spoon over the bottom of the pan and it feels smooth. Reduce by half. Raw wine throws a sharp scent that pushes your face back. Step away a few seconds, then come in from the side. You'll know it's ready when that scent is gone and you smell the wine's own fruit instead.
10. Return shanks, add beef stock, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, orange peel.
11. Simmer, cover, transfer to 325°F oven. Braise 2 ½-3 hours until fork-tender.

Make the Gremolata

1. Mix parsley, lemon zest, and orange zest in a bowl. Reserve.

Make the Parmesan Risotto

1. Warm chicken stock in a saucepan with the Parmesan rind. Simmer gently to infuse, then keep warm. You're looking for a bare simmer: small bubbles breaking the surface, not a rolling boil. Remove rind before using.
2. In a separate pan, melt 1 tbsp butter. Add minced shallot, cook until translucent.
3. Stir in Arborio rice; toast lightly, 1-2 minutes.
4. Deglaze with champagne; cook until absorbed.
5. Ladle in warm Parmesan-rind-infused chicken stock, one scoop at a time, stirring until absorbed before adding more. Continue 18-20 minutes until rice is creamy with slight bite.
6. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1 tbsp butter and Parmesan. Season with salt and finish with fresh cracked black pepper.

Notes

Storage: cover and refrigerate the osso buco and risotto separately for up to 3 days. Reheat the shanks gently in their braising liquid; loosen the risotto with a splash of warm stock.

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