# Osso Buco & Risotto alla Milanese (w/Gremolata)



## Nicholas Mosher (Jan 19, 2007)

Tried this classic pairing once before and it came out "ok".  Over the past couple years I've been saving recipes and clippings for different versions and I'm going to try another batch this afternoon.

I just went through the past threads and picked up some great tips.  Can anyone share any secret tips or ingredients that they feel "makes" this dish?  Perhaps just a story?

Anyone remember Julia and Jacques making their version together?  I almost died laughing when I watched that show... 

Anyhoo, off to the kitchen.


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## Andy M. (Jan 19, 2007)

I make a modified version of  Marcella Hazan's recipe.  Consider grinding up some dry porcini and adding it to the braise.


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## Robo410 (Jan 19, 2007)

brown the shanks well...the maillard effect (browning proteins) really deepens flavor

risotto: remember it's done when it's done and doesn't llike to wait around for people.

can I come to dinner?


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## Nicholas Mosher (Jan 19, 2007)

Andy - Mmmmm... ground porcini sounds great!

Robo - Proper browning... check!


I believe the Julia & Jacques Osso Buco video is available at the linked site below...  

http://pbs-juliachild.onstreammedia...es+ClipChef:Pepin&project=0&viKeyword=&page=4


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## kyles (Jan 19, 2007)

And gremolata (parsley, garlic and lemon zest) sprinkled over the finished product really enhances the flavour.


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## Candocook (Jan 19, 2007)

I make Craig Claiborne's NY Times Cookbook version. Delicious.


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## ironchef (Jan 19, 2007)

You want to go low and slow, and you have to use veal stock. Barolo wine works real well if you want to really go traditional, but veal stock is a must. You can get away with using a merlot, or other full bodied red wine but don't substitute for the veal stock.


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## Candocook (Jan 19, 2007)

<Big smile> to begin. 
Since you say it three times about the veal stock, I know you feel very passionately about it. But I do make a very delicious osso bucco and have never used veal stock. ;o) Sometimes we just don't have access to veal stock.
And, now I will make an effort to make some veal stock for my next osso bucco.


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## Nicholas Mosher (Jan 19, 2007)

I'm going to make a few batches, and decided to try a simple version first.  Then I'll play around with it more (ground porcini's sounds great!).

Veal stock for sure IronChef!  I'm using a dry white sauvignon blanc though.  I almost added red, but decided to keep with the recipe the first time around (which recommended white).

Here is what I'm using for the first Osso Buco run...
(Using standard braising technique)

*Osso Buco Milanese*
Four Veal Shank Crosscuts
Flour - For Dredging
Olive Oil
4oz Onion - Diced
2oz Carrot - Diced
2oz Celery - Diced
2-clv Garlic - Crushed
1.5oz Tomato Paste
1/2-C White Wine
3-C Brown Veal Stock (Homemade of course!)
1 Bay Leaf
Thyme Sprig
Parsley Sprig
Black Peppercorns
Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper

So far it smells good... 

Some recipes recommend adding some strips of citrus zest, but I'm going to leave that for the gremolata.


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## Nicholas Mosher (Jan 19, 2007)

Batch numero uno... (ran out of time on the gremolata though... next batch!).  I did have to add a bit of roux at the end to thicken the sauce (I also strained the herbs/aromatics).  Next time I will probably make a bit of roux at the beginning before the meat is put in the oven.







I'm very pleased with the Osso Buco, but the Risotto alla Milanese needs some work.  The texture of the rice and creaminess is perfect (I make risotto on a regular basis), but I need to work on the flavor balance a bit.  Maybe I just didn't salt it early enough today.  It was good, but not up to par with the Osso Buco.  Could be that my recipe is crap too...  

Here is what I used for the Risotto alla Milanese...

*Risotto alla Milanese*
1/4-C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6oz Onion - Minced
2-C Arborio Rice
1-C Dry White Wine
7-C Chicken Stock
3/4-t Saffron Threads (~0.5g)
2-T Butter
1-C Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground White Pepper

Have to conk out for work tonight.  I'll stop back tomorrow.


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## Nicholas Mosher (Jan 20, 2007)

Any Risotto Milanese recipes?  I'd like to try some of yours!


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## ironchef (Jan 20, 2007)

Nicholas Mosher said:
			
		

> Any Risotto Milanese recipes? I'd like to try some of yours!


 
RDG posted a recipe in I think a risotto thread awhile back. Just do an advanced search and you should be able to pull it up.


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## Candocook (Jan 20, 2007)

_Batch numero uno... (ran out of time on the gremolata though... next batch!). I did have to add a bit of roux at the end to thicken the sauce (I also strained the herbs/aromatics). Next time I will probably make a bit of roux at the beginning before the meat is put in the oven.
_ Yours looks interesting but very different from mine which has canned tomatoes in it and a much lighter/"thinner" sauce--not like yours which looks like a "gravy"--an ELEGANT gravy, I'm positive, but "gravy".


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## Nicholas Mosher (Jan 20, 2007)

Cool, I just read RDG's recipe (Thanks a bunch Iron Chef, don't know how I missed that one when I did my previous search ).  When I make risotto I normally just sweat the onions out in butter, toast the rice, and then use chicken stock with some minced herbs (like parsley & chives).  Then I finish it with butter.

I'm new to the saffron, parm, and wine in the risotto.  Trying to balance those flavors.  I see that RDG's recipe does not include Olive Oil, but butter.  I'm kicking out Olive Oil from the recipe, and I'm going to reserve the parm until after, as RDG mentions.  I'm also going to cut back a bit on the saffron - I think I was using too much.

Candocook - Some of the recipes I see definetly have a much more tomatoey broth-like sauce.  I guess thats some of the New England pot-o-luciousness coming out of me... 

Toasting rice came natural for me... thats step 2 on the back of the Rice a Roni box.  I cooked _a lot_ of Rice a Roni growing up...


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## lulu (Jan 22, 2007)

Yeah, butter is a big thing here in Lomabardia, and used in things that normally cooking "Italian" food you would use olive oil for  Furthermore  the butter and milk products here have a very different flavour to that I am used to, having a distinctive tang as compared to butter UK/northern France/NZ butter and milk.  The butter is pale and rather than creamy, yoghurty in taste in comparison.  But, as you are unlikely to find Alpine butter in Massachusetts (is my guess) I would suggest you use a pale butter over a yellowy one


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## RDG (Jan 22, 2007)

Hi, thanks for using my recipe for ossi buchi and risotto.....
I've not so much to add to the recipe: the use of butter, here, (as lulu says) is very common, and a "true" risotto is made with butter.
We DON'T USE red wine for ossi buchi (we use it for "stracotto" (translation: "cooked very much"), in which the meat is put in red wine for hours, and then cooked in a wine sauce for about four hours.
I can only give you some news not for ossi buchi, but for yellow rice.
In the Italian renaissance, (4-500), the noble people had the use of putting some gold sheets on foods (it' s used also now, in particular occasions). The poor people tried to imitate this use, trying to find something similar. Gold=yellow, Saffron=yellow, Gold=saffron). The same process has been used for another milanese dish, "cotoletta", a veal stheak covered with crumbled bread. May be you know it as "wienerschnitzel", but it' s from Milano (this is an old war between Milano and Wien... )


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## jpmcgrew (Jan 23, 2007)

I just made a risotto milanese this year in Texas made the recipe out of the The Gourmet Cookbook to go along with a veal dish.The only thing I did more is add a splash of dry sherry or maybe it was white wine I dont remember but it make a better difference.I think it was Chardonney wine.
I also use a little Chardonnay in my mushroom risotto.


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## Nicholas Mosher (Jan 26, 2007)

Still haven't gotten the chance to try out that new recipe for Risotto alla Milanese.  I recently started school again and I've been busy as heck between work and school.  Maybe this weekend!

RDG - The man chimes in!  Thank you very much for the recipe and tips!
-----
jp - Sounds good!


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## ChefJune (Jan 26, 2007)

Andy M. said:
			
		

> I make a modified version of Marcella Hazan's recipe. Consider grinding up some dry porcini and adding it to the braise.


Mine is several modifications of a recipe from Giuliano Bugialli, and doesn't include tomatoes..... just lots and lots of onions!  

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm  maybe I want to make that for Valentine's Day!!!


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## ChefJune (Jan 26, 2007)

> that new recipe for Risotto alla Milanese.


Nick... Risotto Milanese is a classic recipe, and pretty straightforward.  What kind of variation are you considering?


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## urmaniac13 (Jan 26, 2007)

ChefJune said:
			
		

> Nick... Risotto Milanese is a classic recipe, and pretty straightforward. What kind of variation are you considering?


 
Maybe the butter factor?? Being from Rome, I was sautèeing the onion with evoo, and when I mentioned that here I got an immediate scolding from RDG 

To make a truly authentic risotto milanese, one gotta fry in butter, also not a broth from cubes like many modified versions do, but a real bone marrow extract!!


RDG, I have read the story behind the yellow/golden rice before, too... thanks for sharing here, it is an interesting tidbit!!


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## Nicholas Mosher (Jan 26, 2007)

I'm going to use butter exclusively (no EVOO) and serve the grated parmesan on the side as RDG recommended.  I also plan to cut back on the amount of saffron I was using... it was a bit overwhelming first time around.

This weekend maybe... hopefully...

My kitchen is going to be bare and empty until summer when classes are out.  Been chowing at the local sushi bar a lot.

Gotta' go - have to pass out for a bit before I go to work.


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## ChefJune (Jan 26, 2007)

> The same process has been used for another milanese dish, "cotoletta", a veal stheak covered with crumbled bread. May be you know it as "wienerschnitzel", but it' s from Milano (this is an old war between Milano and Wien... )


It's awfully good, wherever it comes from, imo!


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## lulu (Jan 26, 2007)

It was the first thing I ate in Milano, its Italian to me.  In fact that meal was wonderful, the cotoletta was hidden underneath a salad of rugola and cherry tomatoes each tomato an explosion of sweetness.  Much nicer than how I had had it before.


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