OSSO — what? The funny thing is, the first time I encountered and ate this delicious comfort dish was during a presidential flight from Manila to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia when I was still a full time journalist in my past life. The flight attendant asked if I wanted roast chicken or osso buco. I chose the latter out of curiosity.
It was love at first bite, and I had vowed to look for a recipe and make it at home. I finally got to cook the dish last year, and it was an instant hit with my family and even extended family. It’s a constant request during get-togethers. And now, I have the pleasure of making it the first dish cooked on Comfort Zone.
Osso Buco is an Italian dish, Milanese, to be more specific. Its a dish that brings together veal or beef shanks, mirepoix (simply French for onion, carrots, celery), tomatoes, and other herbs and spices. Normally white wine is added for extra flavor, but I prefer using red wine. For me red wine brings out greater flavor.
You will enjoy the dish for its taste and have it often because it is very easy to make. Well, don’t let the fancy name of the dish intimidate you. Enjoy!
[Note: Aside from the recipe written below, also learn how to make osso buco by watching Comfort Zone with Ralph Guzman (Episode 1)]
Ingredients
- Veal Shanks, 2 to 2.5 lbs
- Red wine 1.5 cups
- Garlic, 1 head
- Onion, 1 head
- Carrot, 1 piece
- Celery, 2 ribs
- Canned tomatoes, 1 can
- Beef Stock, 2.5 cups
- Thyme, 1/4 cup
- Rosemary, 1/4 cup
Directions
1) First, you’ll need to do a dry rub on the shanks. Rub the shanks with salt and pepper. And then, coat each shank with flour. The flour helps seal the flavors of the veal and it also helps thicken the sauce.
2) Dice 2 heads of garlic and 1 head of onion. Dice the carrot and celery. Set aside for a few minutes.
3) In a bowl, pour the canned tomatoes. Crush the tomatoes by using a potato masher. You can also use a food processor — but make sure you process them coarsely. I prefer using canned tomatoes because they have more flavor. And, they are available all year. Set aside for a few minutes.
4) In your pressure cooker (I use one pot to save time), saute the veal shanks in olive oil with about a clove of garlic until the veal start to brown. Once brown, set the veal aside. It is best not to overcrowd the pot as they would end up steamed instead of browned. By browning the veal, you are bringing out their great flavors! Yum!
5) Do not throw the oil used for the veal as it contains great flavors. Using the same pot, saute the onion, celery, and carrots for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and red wine. Then add the thyme and rosemary. Add salt and pepper. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
6) Cover the pressure cooker and cook for 45 minutes. Carefully remove the cover after 45 minutes. The dish is ready to serve. It’s best served with mashed potatoes, risotto, or rice.
Comfort food for 4-6 people.
Related Video: Comfort Zone with Ralph Guzman Episode 1
I want to make this so badly! But there are 2 things in it that I’m not allowed to eat just yet (at least not till I reach my target weight) its the BEEF and the POTATOES. But it looks so good!
Keep it up Ralph!
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