Ossobuco with Risotto Milanese

For the ossobuco

Note: Braise the meat well ahead as it requires a few hours. 

Trim the shank slices with a small knife to remove the excess fat and connective tissue on the outer part, and then season with salt and pepper. 

Dust the ossobuco with flour, and in a large pan, heat the olive oil and sear the meat, 4 minutes on each side at a high heat until golden. 

Move the meat onto a tray, and in the same pan, fry the vegetables roughly chopped in chunks, pour in the wine and season with salt and pepper.

Put the ossobuco back in the pan, add the stock and a bouquet garni and leave to simmer gently, covered with a lid. The ossobuco slices need to braise on low heat for at least 2 hours. Check and turn the meat every now and then, and add more stock or a little water if the cooking juice is reducing too much.

When cooked, the meat should be super soft and nearly falling apart. Gently remove the ossobuco slices and place them on the side. Strain the cooking liquid into a clean pan to remove the herbs and vegetables, and reduce on low heat if still too liquid – we are looking for an almost sticky/glossy consistency. Put the ossobuco back into the cooking sauce and keep them ready to serve.

For the gremolata

Chop the parsley and garlic and mix with the lemon zest. Combine with a glug of olive oil and spread it on the hot ossobuco, last-minute, just before serving. 

For the risotto

Gently fry the chopped onion in a small casserole with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and a pinch of salt for about 10-15 minutes on a low heat, until golden and caramelised. Keep to the side. 

In a large pan, toast the rice on a low heat with a pinch of salt, without adding oil or fat. Stir it occasionally, so that the rice doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan or burn. 

When the rice is very hot, pour the white wine in. Let the alcohol evaporate. 

Set the cooking time to 16 minutes and add simmering stock, a ladle at a time, letting the rice absorb it. Stir the rice occasionally, and keep cooking on medium heat. Now you can add the cooked onion to the rice.

Halfway through the cooking, soak the saffron in a ladle of hot stock and let it soften. Now add the saffron flavoured stock into the risotto and continue to cook, it will progressively become more yellow and flavoursome. Once the time is up, if you’re happy with the texture, remove the risotto from the heat.

The next step is called mantecatura – with the right movements you can make the risotto creamier by emulsifying the fats with the liquid. Add the grated grana padano and butter to the rice. Stir with energy to incorporate extra air until the risotto is nice and creamy. Season to taste.

Final plating

Plate the risotto in shallow bowls, top with the piping hot ossobuco and its sauce, and finish off with a spoon of gremolata.