Valentine's Day is a special day to share with someone you love (not that we shouldn't strive for that every day--right?). Yet, the idea of spending it battling weather, heavy crowds and exorbitant Valentine dinner prices, it just sounded more romantic this year to enjoy Valentine's Day in front of a crackling fire with soft music and a delicious meal at home. So, I decided to grace my Valentine's table with one of our Italian favs: Risotto with Osso Bucco!
INGREDIENTS
Flour 1 cup red wine
Salt & Pepper 6 1/2 cups beef stock
2 Veal shanks 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
Olive oil 1/2 cup white wine
Yellow onion, chopped 1 pinch Saffron threads
1/2 carrot, chopped 2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 celery stalk, chopped 1/2 grated Parmesan
2 garlic cloves
Season the veal with salt and pepper, dredge in flour. In a heavy pan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the veal shanks and brown on each side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add 1/2 the onion, the carrot, celery, and garlic. Saute until softened. Add the red wine. Stir to scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan. Raise the heat and reduce the liquid by half. Add 2 1/2 cups of beef stock and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Return the veal to the pan. Cover and cook for 1 hour, turning occasionally. Remove the lid and cook until the shanks are tender (approx. 30 minutes).
During the last 30 minutes of cooking time, make the risotto. In a saucepan, heat 4 cups of beef stock. In a larger saucepan, heat 1/8 cup olive oil. Add the other half of chopped onion and saute until softened. Add the rice and stir until each grain is translucent with a white dot in the center. Add the white wine and keep stirring until the liquid is absorbed. Add a ladleful of stock and stir continuously until stock is completely absorbed. Add another ladleful of stock and repeat until all but 1/4 cup of stock remains. Add saffron to the remaining stock.
When the rice is tender and creamy but still firm in the center, add the saffron stock. Remove from the heat and stir in butter and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the risotto to serving dishes. Top with the veal shanks and sprinkle with parsley.
Serves 2.
