Recipes

Blood Orange-Fennel Osso Buco

  • Serves

    serves 4

SAVEUR

At New York's Union Square Cafe, chef Michael Romano accents his version of this classic Italian dish with blood oranges and their juice instead of the traditional lemon-zest-based gremolada.

Find this recipe in our cookbook, SAVEUR: Italian Comfort Food

Ingredients

  • 4 (1-lb.) pieces veal shank, about 2'' thick
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 12 cup flour
  • 14 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 12 cup sherry vinegar
  • 3 cups veal stock
  • 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 cups fresh blood orange juice
  • 1 blood orange, peeled, seeded, and divided into sections (pith removed)
  • 4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325°. Season shanks with salt and pepper. Place flour on a plate. Dredge shanks in flour, coating well. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet (with a lid) over medium-high heat. Add shanks and brown on all sides, 10-15 minutes. Remove shanks and set aside.

Step 2

Deglaze skillet with vinegar, scraping brown bits that adhere to bottom with a wooden spoon. Reduce vinegar by half, until slightly syrupy, 3-5 minutes, then add stock. Return shanks to skillet, cover, and braise in oven for 45 minutes. Turn shanks and continue cooking for 45 minutes.

Step 3

Split fennel from top to bottom, then cut lengthwise into 1⁄2''-thick slices. Add fennel, carrots, and orange juice to shanks and cook, still covered, in oven until vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes.

Step 4

Using a slotted spoon, transfer shanks and vegetables to a serving platter. Simmer sauce, skimming occasionally, over medium-high heat, 4-5 minutes. Stir in orange sections. Ladle sauce over shanks and vegetables and serve garnished with parsley.

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