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OSSO BUCO INSPIRED BY THE OFFICE

cook:

1 h 40 min

Picture for Osso Buco inspired by The Office

5,923,306 views  This week, we're taking a look at a winter classic, courtesy of one of the most painful scenes in television history: the dinner party from The Office. Jan's (very) slowly-braised veal shanks are clearly seen served with Risotto alla Milanese, a classic saffron-scented version of the decadent Italian staple. Put it all together, and you've got the perfect dish to weather the winter - or at least the world's most awkward dinner party.

4 servings

US

original

metric

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

INGREDIENTS

For the Osso Buco

For the Osso Buco

medium carrots

2 medium carrots

medium onion

1 medium onion

stalks celery

2 stalks celery

Flour

Flour

Kosher salt

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

Freshly ground pepper

veal shanks

6 veal shanks

For the Butcher’s twine

For the Butcher’s twine

Grapeseed oil

Grapeseed oil

of tomato paste

1 ½ tbsp of tomato paste

crushed cloves of garlic

6 whole crushed cloves of garlic

dry white wine

2 ½ cups dry white wine

Fresh rosemary

Fresh rosemary

Fresh thyme

Fresh thyme

beef stock

2 cups beef stock

dried bay leaves

2 dried bay leaves

can San Marzano tomatoes

28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes

For the Risotto alla Milanese

For the Risotto alla Milanese

small onion

1 small onion

high quality chicken stock

4 cups high quality chicken stock

Saffron threads

Saffron threads

butter

3 tbsp butter

Arborio or carnaroli rice

2 cups Arborio or carnaroli rice

dry white wine

1 cup dry white wine

Freshly grated parmigiano  reggiano cheese

Freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

of unsalted butter

2 ½ tbsp of unsalted butter

Kosher salt

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

Freshly ground pepper

For the Gremolata

For the Gremolata

Finely chopped parsley

Finely chopped parsley

Grated lemon zest

Grated lemon zest

Grated garlic

Grated garlic

TOOLS

Babish Dutch Oven

Babish Mixing Bowl

Babish Rolling Pin

Babish Colander

Babish "Clef" Knife

Babish Cutting Board

Babish Everyday Pan

Babish Frying Pan

Babish Measusring Cups and Spoons set

Babish Glass Bowls

Babish Chef's Knife

Babish 12-Piece Set

Babish Santoku Knife

DIRECTIONS

1.

For the Osso Buco

1.

First, make a mirepoix. To make a mirepoix, take medium carrots, medium onion, and celery, and chop them into manageable bite-sized pieces.

medium carrots

2 medium carrots

medium onion

1 medium onion

stalks celery

2 stalks celery

2.

Heavily season your flour with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Then use it to coat veal shanks. Pat it down into the meat and flip to repeat on the other sides of each shank. To ensure the shanks’ structural integrity, tie each shank with a length of butcher’s twine.

veal shanks

6 veal shanks

Flour

Flour

Freshly ground pepper

Freshly ground pepper

Kosher salt

Kosher salt

3.

For the Butchers Twine

Grapeseed oil

Grapeseed oil

1.

Into a large dutch oven, heat some grapeseed oil over medium-high heat until shimmering before dropping in the veal shanks. Give each shank 3 to 5 minutes per side until you end up with a nice brown color on both sides. It is best to perform this step in two batches so that the shanks do not become overcrowded. After searing, you will end up with leftover browned food residue (fond) that will serve as the basis of great flavor when you are braising.

Grapeseed oil

Grapeseed oil

2.

Pour your mirepoix into the dutch oven and sauté for about 5 minutes until it begins to soften and turn brown. Then, add tomato paste and whole crushed cloves of garlic. Once you have let that sauté for an additional minute or until fragrant, deglaze the pot using about dry white wine. For a darker and more robust stew, use a dry red wine instead.

crushed cloves of garlic

6 whole crushed cloves of garlic

of tomato paste

1 ½ tbsp of tomato paste

dry white wine

2 ½ cups dry white wine

3.

Scrape off all of the residue from the bottom of the pot. Add a couple sprigs each of fresh rosemary and thyme, high quality or homemade beef stock, and dried bay leaves.

Fresh rosemary

Fresh rosemary

Fresh thyme

Fresh thyme

beef stock

2 cups beef stock

dried bay leaves

2 dried bay leaves

4.

Pour canned San Marzano tomatoes into a mixing bowl and crush them by hand. Then, add the crushed tomatoes to the braising liquid on medium-high heat, attempting to bring it up to a simmer as you begin to add your veal shanks into the pot side-by-side. Add a few extra marrow bones to the pot as well.

can San Marzano tomatoes

28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes

5.

Bring the mixture up to a rolling simmer and partially cover the pot. Place the pot into a 325°F oven for 2 to 3 hours

6.

Once finished, take it out of the oven and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes. The veal shanks should be tender enough to the point where you can easily pierce them with a paring knife. Get the marrow bones out of the pot and scoop out their soft rich interiors. Finely chop the interiors until it is almost a paste and add it to your risotto.

7.

Remove the veal shanks from the pot and set them aside. Strain the leftover sauce into a medium saucepan, making sure to stir up and press down on the solids to extract every drop of the liquid. You should end up with a thin and oily sauce. Allow it to cool for a few minutes, skim all of the fat off of the top, and reduce for about 30 minutes until it is thick and syrupy.

8.

For assembling, lay down a bed of risotto on a plate, place your veal shank over top and remove the string, and ladle the braising liquid along with some of the aromatic vegetables over top before garnishing with gremolata.

For the Risotto alla Milanese

For the Risotto alla Milanese

For the Gremolata

For the Gremolata

9.

For the Risotto alla Milanese

1.

Begin by finely mincing small onion. Pour high-quality chicken stock into a small saucepan, bring it to a bare simmer, and add a pinch of saffron threads.

small onion

1 small onion

high quality chicken stock

4 cups high quality chicken stock

Saffron threads

pinch Saffron threads

2.

Into a larger saucepan, add butter and place over medium-high heat until it is foaming. Then, add the finely minced onion to the pan. Use a flat wooden spoon or a rubber spatula and allow it to sweat for 1 to 2 minutes until it is just beginning to turn translucent.

butter

3 tbsp butter

small onion

1 small onion

3.

To the large saucepan, add Arborio or carnaroli rice and toast it in the pan with the onion for 1 to 2 minutes until the edges of the grains of rice turn translucent. At this point, add dry white wine and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until the alcohol is cooked off.

Arborio or carnaroli rice

2 cups Arborio or carnaroli rice

dry white wine

1 cup dry white wine

4.

Start adding your stock, which should be a golden brown color, 1 to 2 ladlefuls at a time. Once you have added enough stock to mostly saturate the rice, stir relatively frequently until you can drag your spoon across the bottom of the pot and leave a trail. Add 1 to 2 more ladlefuls of hot stock and repeat the process over medium heat until you have added anywhere from 3 to 3 ½ cups worth of stock and the rice is creamy and tender, but slightly al dente.

high quality chicken stock

high quality chicken stock

5.

Turn off the heat and add a gracious amount of freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese as well as unsalted butter.

Freshly grated parmigiano  reggiano cheese

Freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

of unsalted butter

2 ½ tbsp of unsalted butter

6.

After adding the bone marrow interiors to the pan, season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir to combine.

Kosher salt

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

Freshly ground pepper

7.

For the Gremolata

1.

Combine some freshly chopped parsley, grated lemon zest, and grated garlic. Mix all of it up and add enough fresh parsley to make sure that it is easy to sprinkle.

Finely chopped parsley

Finely chopped parsley

Grated lemon zest

Grated lemon zest

Grated garlic

Grated garlic

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