I am so enjoying this cookbook challenge - browsing through book after book, seeing how much the style of writing and presentation has changed, finding old, long time neglected favorites and sometimes laughing about how we used to cook. Today's book is one of the very oldest in my collection - dating from 1984 (yes, I started cooking very young...) titled "Italian Cuisine" and I picked a real classic: Ossobucco Milanese. Had I remembered how long it takes to prep for this, believe me, I would have picked a different recipe. This should be called a chopping challenge!
Italian Cuisine
Cucina Italiana
the recipe: Ossobucco Milanese
Veal Shanks - one per person
chopped tomatoes (1 medium can)
tomato paste (1 tbsp)
and now the fun starts: chopped carrots (2-3)
chopped root celery (1/4)
chopped Onions (2)
chopped garlic (3cloves)
gently fry all veg in olive oil
dust shanks with a bit of flour then fry separately until nicely browned
place shanks on top of veg, cover and simmer in oven for 1 1/2 hrs
I changed one thing: Ossobucco is traditionally served with gremolata - a mix of very finely chopped flat leaf parsley, fresh garlic and lemon zest, some even add anchovies. I don't really like tasting uncooked garlic so added the garlic into the vegetables and will be serving the Ossobucco with a gremolata of parsley and lemon zest only. And I will serve it à la Française - with a crusty baguette to mop up all those delicious juices. In Lombardy where this recipe hails from it is served with risotto and a long handled spoon to dig out the bone marrow.
