What a lovely combination of flavors in the dish -complex, fresh, and savory. This dish has it all! Excellent served over chive mashed potatoes along with whole roasted organic carrots with a butter and maple syrup glaze.
Braised Veal Shanks with Citrus
Yields: 4 to 8 servings
Ingredients:
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 meaty cross-cut veal shanks (each about 1 3/4-inches thick)
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons coarse or sea salt
Freshly-ground black pepper
2 cups chopped onion
6 large garlic cloves, diced
6 anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry, and finely chopped
3 Turkish bay leaves
2 cups dry Vermouth or dry white wine
1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, including juice
3 (4- by 1-inch) strips fresh lemon zest (using a potato peeler to cut off the strip)
3 (4- by 1-inch) strips fresh orange zest (using a potato peeler to cut off the strip)
Gremolata (see recipe below)
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
In a 6-quart Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
While the oil heats, pat the veal shanks dry with paper towels. In a large re-sealable plastic bag, add the flour, salt, and pepper. Place the shanks in the bag, seal, and shake well to coat the shanks with the flour mixture. As you remove each floured veal shank from the with tongs, shake off any excess flour from the meat.
Place 1/2 of the floured veal shanks in the hot oil at a time. Brown until golden on both sides; remove to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat browning the remaining floured veal shanks.
Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add the onion, garlic, anchovy fillets, bay leaves and sauté until the vegetables just begin to soften, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Add the Vermouth or wine and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let boil approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
Turn off heat and stir in tomatoes, lemon zest, orange zest, plus salt and pepper to taste. Nestle the browned veal shanks into the mixture. Using a spoon, cover any exposed shanks with the sauce. Cover and cook in the oven for 1 hour. Turn shanks over, cover any exposed shank with sauce, and continue to cook, an additional 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and skim off any fat from the surface. Transfer shanks and the sauce to a large serving platter. Remove and discard bay leaves.
To serve, place 1 or 2 veal shanks on each plate. Spoon the broth and vegetables on top. Sprinkle with the prepared Gremolata and serve immediately.
Braised veal shanks can be made two (2) days ahead. Let cool in the sauce, uncovered. Then cover and place in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, remove any congealed fat from the surface prior to reheating. Reheat at 425 degrees F. for approximately 40 minutes.
Makes 4 to 8 servings.
Gremolata:
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest (use a cooking rasp or fine grater to remove zest)
3 teaspoons fresh orange zest (use a cooking rasp or fine grater to remove zest)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
In a small bowl, combing the parsley, lemon zest, orange zest, and garlic; set aside until ready to use.
Braised Veal Shanks with Citrus
Yields: 4 to 8 servings
Ingredients:
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 meaty cross-cut veal shanks (each about 1 3/4-inches thick)
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons coarse or sea salt
Freshly-ground black pepper
2 cups chopped onion
6 large garlic cloves, diced
6 anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry, and finely chopped
3 Turkish bay leaves
2 cups dry Vermouth or dry white wine
1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, including juice
3 (4- by 1-inch) strips fresh lemon zest (using a potato peeler to cut off the strip)
3 (4- by 1-inch) strips fresh orange zest (using a potato peeler to cut off the strip)
Gremolata (see recipe below)
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
In a 6-quart Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
While the oil heats, pat the veal shanks dry with paper towels. In a large re-sealable plastic bag, add the flour, salt, and pepper. Place the shanks in the bag, seal, and shake well to coat the shanks with the flour mixture. As you remove each floured veal shank from the with tongs, shake off any excess flour from the meat.
Place 1/2 of the floured veal shanks in the hot oil at a time. Brown until golden on both sides; remove to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat browning the remaining floured veal shanks.
Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add the onion, garlic, anchovy fillets, bay leaves and sauté until the vegetables just begin to soften, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Add the Vermouth or wine and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let boil approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
Turn off heat and stir in tomatoes, lemon zest, orange zest, plus salt and pepper to taste. Nestle the browned veal shanks into the mixture. Using a spoon, cover any exposed shanks with the sauce. Cover and cook in the oven for 1 hour. Turn shanks over, cover any exposed shank with sauce, and continue to cook, an additional 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and skim off any fat from the surface. Transfer shanks and the sauce to a large serving platter. Remove and discard bay leaves.
To serve, place 1 or 2 veal shanks on each plate. Spoon the broth and vegetables on top. Sprinkle with the prepared Gremolata and serve immediately.
Braised veal shanks can be made two (2) days ahead. Let cool in the sauce, uncovered. Then cover and place in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, remove any congealed fat from the surface prior to reheating. Reheat at 425 degrees F. for approximately 40 minutes.
Makes 4 to 8 servings.
Gremolata:
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest (use a cooking rasp or fine grater to remove zest)
3 teaspoons fresh orange zest (use a cooking rasp or fine grater to remove zest)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
In a small bowl, combing the parsley, lemon zest, orange zest, and garlic; set aside until ready to use.