Osso Buco Gremolata

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 pieces veal shank, 3 inches thick (choose large-diameter pieces with broad marrow bones), tied with twine (about 7 pounds)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup finely diced carrots
• 1 cup minced onion
• 1 cup finely diced celery
• 1 cup canned whole peeled tomatoes (about 5)
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 5 to 6 garlic cloves
• 1 dry bay leaf
• 8 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, tied with twine
• 8 fresh basil leaves

For the Gremolata:

• 1 tablespoon minced lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon minced orange zest

Instructions

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a large shallow dish, whisk together flour, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 ½ teaspoons pepper. Dredge the shanks in the mixture.
2. 2
   In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt 3 tablespoons butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the shanks on all sides. Remove from the pot and set aside.
3. 3
   Wipe out pot, and lower heat to medium-low. Add remaining tablespoon butter and oil. Add the carrots, onion, and celery to pan. Saute until mostly tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, stock, and wine; simmer for 8 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan.
4. 4
   Return the meat to the pot; add garlic, bay leaf, parsley, and basil. Cover and bake for 3 hours, or until meat is tender.
5. 5
   Remove the veal and set on a warm platter. Cover with foil to keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine mesh sieve and return liquid to pot. Reduce to 2 cups. Remove herbs from the vegetables and discard. Puree vegetables in a blender and return to pot (alternatively vegetables can be returned to the pot and pureed with an immersion blender).
6. 6
   To make the gremolata, mix together lemon and orange zest. To serve, place 1 shank on a warm plate and spoon some sauce over the meat. Garnish with gremolata.