Recipe: Osso Buco Milanese

Osso Buco is a perfect dish for a romantic dinner for two or for a meal for guests… it requires very little time in the kitchen… you can make it and time it so that it’s finished cooking just before you plan to serve it… all you have to do is plate it…. a terrific idea for Valentine’s Day or that special anniversary.

This recipe is from Tyler Florence... I wanted to make a nice meal for two and not slave like crazy in the kitchen… so I thought I’d give this recipe a try…. I was a little skeptical at first… this recipe uses Marsala wine instead of the usual white wine…. but I really like Marsala and thought I’d give it a try…

The result was absolutely delicious… the meat was so tender… it practically melted in my mouth. The Marsala added a wonderful flavor.

I followed the recipe exactly… yep… absolutely no changes or substitutions… amazing … I know… but I really wanted to see how the recipe would turn out… it turned out delicious!

I get really peeved when people fool with a recipe… it doesn’t turn out like they wanted… and blame the original author… drives me nuts… well since I’m venting a bit…

I also get peeved when people give a recipe 5 stars and then proceed to tell you a million things they did differently… albeit they were inspired by a recipe but what they did was totally different than the original… and can’t rate it properly…

Whew!... now back to the recipe… I have a few tips..

TIPS

Tyler doesn’t wrap kitchen twine around the veal shanks… most recipes recommend that… I agree… even though my twine slipped off during the last part of the cooking process… it really kept the shank intact… otherwise it tends to break apart in pieces.

You can buy kitchen twine at the grocery store... if you can't find it ask an employee... different stores shelve it in different places.

This made a lot of gravy… I made the full amount even though I made only 2 shanks (there was only two of us)…. but the amount of gravy, for even 4 shanks, is a lot.

The gravy is very soupy even after reducing it according to the recipe… next time I will take some of the vegetables and puree them and add them back into the pot… (I thicken my stew that way and it’s delicious).

I did cut out one thing.. . but it shouldn’t affect the recipe… after adding the shanks back to the pan and adding tomatoes and stock… he tells you to drizzle olive oil over it… it isn’t needed… I didn’t want to add any additional grease to the dish…

Okay I made another minor change…. I didn’t peel the tomato… I did seed and chop them.

I used plum (or Roma) tomatoes.

I know this recipe uses a lot of garlic… but it cooks for a long time… so the garlic flavor isn’t strong… don’t cut back on the garlic.

Don’t cut out the Gremolata.. it really adds a nice refreshing flavor …

I chopped the parsley for the Gremalata very fine… I used my mini chopper… I chopped it along with the garlic cloves so they were really chopped well and totally incorporated with the parsley…

I added the parsley and garlic to a bowl and grated the lemon and orange over it and mixed it with a small fork.

Get all your ingredients ready ahead of actually cooking … and cooking is a snap!

I wrote the recipe as Tyler posted it… it serves 4.

I served this with garlic mashed potatoes… it was a terrific combination.

This was simply delicious!








Recipe: Osso Buco Milanese

All you need:


½ cup flour
Salt and pepper to taste
4 pieces veal shank with bone, cut 3 inches thick
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
½ cup carrots, chopped
½ cup celery, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 cup dry Marsala
2 cups veal or chicken stock
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

For the Gremolata:

Grated rind of 1 lemon
Grated rind of 1 orange
2 garlic cloves minced
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped

All you need to do:


In a small shallow bowl mix the flour, salt and pepper…. I know it says “to taste” in the ingredients… I used a dash of salt and about 6 turns on the pepper mill… what it means is use however much you tend to like.. if you like it salty… add more than a dash… or if you like things very peppery… then add more pepper.

Dredge the veal shanks in the flour mixture and shake off any excess.

In a heavy skillet or Dutch oven, over medium heat, heat the oil and butter.

Sear the shanks in all sides… you may have to hold it in place with tongs to sear the sizes.

Add more oil and butter if needed (you won’t need it)

Remove the shanks to a plate and set aside.




Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaves and parsley to the pan and cook until soft.






Raise the heat to high and add the Marsala to the pan to deglaze it.

Return the shanks to the pan and add the stock and tomatoes.

Reduce the heat to low and cover.

Cook for about 1 ½ hours or until the meat is tender. (I cooked mine for 1 ½ hours).

Baste the meat a few times during cooking. (I carefully turned my veal shanks over halfway through cooking… be very careful… I turned the meat using a spatula and cooking spoon so I didn’t break the meat off the bone).

Remove the cover and simmer for an additional 10 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit.



To Make the Gremolata:

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.




To Plate:

Put a generous helping of mashed potatoes in the middle of a plate.

Carefully remove the veal shanks from the pan and onto a plate… remove the string… then carefully move the veal shank to the plate with the mashed potatoes…place the shank in the middle of the potatoes… (I used a spatula to move the shank so I wouldn’t break apart the meat from the bone).

Using a slotted spoon…. Spoon a helping of vegetables from the pan over the meat (make sure you don’t spoon the bay leaf).

Using a spoon, spoon some liquid from the pan over the vegetables.

Add some Gremolata to the top of the dish and serve.

Recipe: Jagerschnitzel

As promised… I am posting a delicious recipe for a terrific German dish called Jagerschnitzel. Schnitzel is the basis for a number of schnitzel recipes. Jagerschnitzel has a wonderful mushroom sauce over the schnitzel. It’s often served with spaetzle (German dumpling noodles) or noodles.

The recipe is very easy and can be made somewhat ahead if using this dish to entertain. The schnitzels can be kept warm and the sauce kept warm on the stove.

Don’t make the schnitzels too far in advance though as they will dry out in the oven. I wouldn’t keep them for more than an hour in the oven… lay a sheet of foil over them, don’t crimp the sides… you don’t want the warming plate to have steam and take away the crispiness of the schnitzel.

I hope you try this wonderful dish.

Enjoy!



Recipe: Jagerschnitzel

All you need:

For the Schnitzel:

Thin veal, pork , or chicken cutlets
Plain bread crumbs (about 1 cup for 4-6 cutlets)
2 eggs with a dash of milk, beaten
Flour seasoned with salt and pepper (amount depends on the quantity of cutlets)… about ½ cup for 4-6 cutlets
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, finely diced
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 ½ cups beef broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ cup sour cream

All you need to do:

To make the Schnitzel:

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Set up 3 bowls (wide bowls, if possible)

In one bowl, mix the flour, salt and pepper.

In another bowl, beat the eggs and milk until well combined.

In another bowl, add the bread crumbs.

Dip the cutlets, one at a time, first in the flour (make sure the entire cutlet is covered in flour).

Then dip the floured cutlet in the egg mixture.

Then dip the cutlet in the bread crumbs, covering the cutlet completely.

Place on a plate and repeat the steps until all cutlets have been breaded.

At this point, you can cover the cutlets and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to fry them.

When ready to fry, heat a large skillet on medium high heat.

Add the butter and olive oil to the skillet. Do not let butter burn.

When the butter is melted, add the cutlets to the skillet.

Cook until the bottom is brown and crispy (about 3 minutes).

Flip the cutlets and cook the other side until brown and crispy (about two minutes).

Remove cutlets from the skillet and lay on paper towels to pat off excess grease.

Put the cutlets on a oven proof plate and keep warm in the preheated oven while you cook the remaining cutlets. Cover loosely with foil…. you don’t want moisture from the steam to make the cutlets lose their crispiness.

When ready to serve… pour a small amount of sauce over the schnitzels.

To make the sauce:

In a large skillet, over medium high heat, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter.

Add the onions and sauté until they’re translucent.

Add the mushrooms and cook an additional few minutes until the mushrooms are soft.

Add the cornstarch to the 1 ½ cups of beef broth (in the measuring cup)… with a fork, beat it until the cornstarch is incorporated.

Lower the heat to medium.

Pour the beef broth into the skillet and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken.

You just want it to gently simmer… adjust heat as necessary.

Lower the heat to low.

Stir in the sour cream and continue to cook over low heat until sauce is thickened.

Do not allow sauce to boil.

Spoon sauce over cutlets and serve.

Recipe: Schnitzel

What Oktoberfest would be without a Schnitzel…. okay the Wursts or sausages are more famous at Oktoberfest… but hey… to me Schnitzel is the epitome of German food….

Schnitzel is basically a very thin veal (Weinerschnitzel) , pork (Schweineschnitzel) or chicken cutlet that’s breaded and fried. Traditionally it’s served with lemon wedges with capers and anchovies on top of it. It also can be the basis for other “Schnitzel recipes”, such as Jager Schnitzel, but more on that another day.

I love Schnitzel… it was a childhood favorite of mine. Whenever we went to a German restaurant, I would want Schnitzel… and my absolute favorite was Wienerschnitzel ala Holstein…. Which is breaded veal cutlets fried with a fried egg on top…. I always had them hold the anchovies… I’m not a fan of anchovies.

So here is my Schnitzel recipe… I hope you try it …. Serve it with Roesti Potatoes, red cabbage and apple sauce….. all I can say is yummmm.

Enjoy!



Recipe: Schnitzel

All you need:

Thin veal, pork or chicken cutlets
Plain bread crumbs (amount depends on the quantity of cutlets)… about 1 cup for 4-6 cutlets
2 eggs with a dash of milk, beaten
Flour seasoned with salt and pepper (amount depends on the quantity of cutlets)… about ½ cup for 4-6 cutlets
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
Capers or anchovies
Lemon wedges

All you need to do:

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Set up 3 bowls (wide bowls, if possible).

In one bowl, mix the flour, salt and pepper.

In another bowl, beat the eggs and milk until well combined.

In another bowl, add the bread crumbs.

Dip the cutlets, one at a time, first in the flour (make sure the entire cutlet is covered in flour).

Then dip the floured cutlet in the egg mixture.

Then dip the cutlet in the bread crumbs, covering the cutlet completely.

Place on a plate and repeat the steps until all cutlets have been breaded.

At this point, you can cover the cutlets and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to fry them.

When ready to fry, heat a large skillet on medium high heat.

Add the butter and olive oil to the skillet. Do not let butter burn.

When the butter is melted, add the cutlets to the skillet.

Cook until the bottom is brown and crispy (about 3 minutes).

Flip the cutlets and cook the other side until brown and crispy (about two minutes).

Remove cutlets from the skillet and lay on paper towels to pat off excess grease.

Put the cutlets on a oven proof plate and keep warm in the preheated oven while you cook the remaining cutlets. Cover loosely with foil…. you don’t want moisture from the steam to make the cutlets lose their crispiness.

When ready to serve… garnish with lemon wedges, capers and/or anchovies.

Recipe: Pan-Seared Veal Chops

Veal chops are very tender and flavorful…. they are absolutely delicious….. but buyer beware… veal chops from the loin can be expensive… but in my opinion… worth every penny for a special dinner.

To make them is very easy…. a perfect meat for a special occasion dinner. Serve this with a vegetable and creamy mashed potatoes…. you may want to consider my recipe for baked tomatoes....that would go well...

This is so easy it frees you up to concentrate on a possible appetizer and dessert.

This recipe serves two.

Enjoy!

Pan-Seared Veal Chops Recipe:

All you need:

2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or thyme or marjoram (your preference… I prefer thyme)
Olive oil
2 veal loin chops, 1 inch thick (about 8 ounces each)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

All you need to do:

Make the herbed butter by creaming the butter and the dijon mustard and the herb of choice together in a small bowl.

Lightly oil a heavy cast iron skillet and set it over high heat until very hot. Do not allow it to smoke.

Brush both sides of the veal chops with a little olive oil and season with salt.

Place the chops in the skillet and reduce the heat to medium.

Cook for 4-5 minutes and then flip them over and cook for another 3-4 minutes until desired doneness.

I prefer my veal a little pink (medium rare)… use a thermometer to gauge doneness.

When done… remove meat to plates…. And top each chop with half the herbed butter.

Recipe: Veal Piccate

When I was growing up on Long Island there was this terrific restaurant called Lido Di Roma in New Hyde Park…. The food was out of this world… they had a great dish called Veal Piccate…. It’s very simple to make and would be excellent for a romantic dinner for two….serve it with a rice… or risotto… or a fettuccini ….. a vegetable… some crusty rolls… a nice wine…. some candles….hmmmm

What’s really nice about this recipe is that it is virtually foolproof… you can make it and keep it warm… and you won’t kill yourself slaving in the kitchen….

If you do make this ahead…. cook the veal and place on a warm platter, and put some of the wine-lemon liquid over it so it doesn’t dry out…. cover with foil… keep in a warm oven. When you go to serve it… heat the wine … add the veal….get to serving temperature again… and serve…. you may have to increase the wine to ¾ cup.

This can also be made with thin sliced boneless chicken breasts….

Enjoy!

Veal Piccate Recipe:

All you need:

2 large veal cutlets thinly sliced
Flour
4 tablespoons butter
1 lemon sliced
½ cup white wine
12-15 mushrooms sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

All you need to do:

Using your kitchen mallet, pound the veal between two sheets of waxed paper. If you don’t have a mallet, a sauté pan will work.

Dredge the veal in the flour.

In a hot skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter.

Add the veal and sauté until lightly browned.

Remove the veal and keep warm.

Wipe the skillet out.

Heat the wine, lemon, mushrooms, salt and pepper.

When hot, add the veal back and heat for 1-2 minutes and then serve.

Recipe: Delicious Veal Stew

This is a wonderful stew… made from veal… the tomatoes and the orange zest and juice add a terrific flavor that sets this stew apart from others.

The bouquet garni is easily made… using a piece of cheesecloth and tied with string. To make it, lay out a small piece of cloth and put 1 bay leaf, 3 sprigs of thyme, 4 large sprigs of parsley (include the entire piece with the stalk) and 1 stalk of celery including the leaves, cut into small chunks) on the cloth, pull the sides up like a little sack and tie it securely with a small piece of string.

Serve this stew with creamy mashed potatoes and a small salad, maybe a crusty bread… and you have a truly special meal.







Veal Stew Recipe:

All you need:

3 pounds boneless veal shoulder, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
1 cup of flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
4 or 5 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 ¼ cups dry white wine
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (I use Delmonte diced tomatoes with garlic and onion)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Grated zest and juice from one orange
Bouquet garni
1 tablespoon butter
1 small container fresh mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

All you need to do:

Place flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a plastic bag and mix ingredients in the bag, then add the veal pieces to coat. In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoon olive oil. Add the veal in one layer and brown the meat on all sides by cooking on medium high heat for about 5-7 minutes. Do not overcrowd pan, you may have to brown meat in batches, adding additional tablespoons of oil as needed.

When meat is browned on all sides, remove the meat to a plate. Reduce to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon butter to bottom of pot and add onions and garlic, cook for about 5 minutes, until onions are soft, stirring occasionally.

Add wine and bring to a boil.

Return the meat to the pot.

Add the tomatoes, orange zest and juice, bouquet garni, and tomato paste to the pot.

Bring back to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 1 hour, covered.

Add the quartered mushrooms and cover.

Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until meat is very tender.

Remove the bouquet garni.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve in bowls or tureen. Garnish with chopped parsley.