Giro d’Italia ‘20 - Stage 21: Cernusco sul Naviglio to Milano
Another race, and culinary ride-along, in the books! Eating last night’s meal, my younger daughter validated the point-of-view I was aiming for when she stated: “wow, this has all been Italian?” Yes. Italy is much more than pasta. Much more than garlic-laden dishes. Much more than whatever first comes to mind when you think “Italian”. Honestly, I wanted to find some more interesting items myself. We all get caught in ruts. Whether it is cooking, our social circles, or physical activity routines. Much like physical trainers say (and, to be clear, I have no real direct experience with physical trainers; this is just from what I read in an occasional article) you need to vary your training to activate all of your muscles. The same ethos applies to cooking.
If you’re new to cooking, you should be absorbing as much as you can to learn different basic skills and dishes. Then, you try to apply the things you’re learning. You obtain more knowledge by doing and seeing what works in your kitchen as opposed to what some professional is doing on a produced show. Over time, you’ll perfect a dish, and another, and another until you have a pretty good footing in the kitchen. Then you should start diving into different cuisines, and after that, more complex dishes. I am now at the point of studying food history to find more than just the first 5 items that may come up on a search when you search for “[country name] cuisine.” Sure, I don’t know every technique out there. I’ve never even poached my own egg; a glaring blind spot I aim to conquer soon. But, I hope, that no matter what your culinary confidence level is, that you should be able to make any of these dishes I’ve done through my recipe instruction. There is not one set, or correct, path you take in your culinary journey. Make your own map. Just try and take some unfamiliar roads from time-to-time to find a different way to your ultimate destination.
Now, after all of that talk of variety and intense culinary exploration, you’re salivating as to what I’m going to make. What is new under the sun of Italy, or more apropos of the day, under the clouds of Milan? Well, I’m actually going basic, but classic, lol! What can I say? I like to keep people off-balance, never knowing exactly what to expect from me. However, while I’ve braised lamb shanks like no one’s business over the years, it is the first time I’m making this specific dish. I’ve had it several times in restaurants, and I’m sure you have as well: Veal Ossobuco. A perfect dish for a dreary day. A long, slow braise to further tenderize a young piece of meat. A celebration of the Milanese, the endpoint of the Giro, as it employs a gremolata (a mix of herbs and citrus, added toward the end of cooking to help brighten the dish). I hope you all enjoyed this adventure. I look forward to making more dishes and hope you’ll come along with me as we discover what different cultures and their cuisines have to offer.
Ossobuco Milanese Style
Adapted from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, Marcella Hazan
Onion
3 Celery stalks
2 large carrots
6 veal chops, no thicker than 1.5”
Flour
2 large pieces of lemon rind
Bouquet garnis: 3 sprigs of parsley & thyme and 2 bay leaves
28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 cup dry white wine
2.5 cups beef stock
Gremolata (1 tbsp parsley, 1 tsp lemon zest, and ¼ tsp minced garlic)
Prepare your veal by securing each chop with butcher string. Tie these extremely tight, bunching up the meat. Season the meat with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Preheat a saute pan with 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat. Add 1 cup of flour to a large, empty, ziploc bag and toss in 3 chops to cover with flour. Pull the chops out, giving them a good shake to loosen excess flour. Brown the chops. Repeat the flour dredging and browning of the remaining chops, setting them aside on a platter when browned.
Meanwhile, dice your onion, carrot and celery. Preheat the oven to 350, rack on lower-third, and preheat a large dutch oven, with a tbsp of olive oil, over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add in the vegetables, with a pinch of salt, and saute until starting to soften, about 8 minutes. Then, add in garlic and the lemon rind, and cook for an additional 2 minutes, then stir in the diced tomatoes (and their juice) with the bouquet garnis.
After the chops are browned and resting on a plate, add in a cup of wine to deglaze the pan and bring to a boil for 2 minutes, then add in the stock and return to a boil.
Add the cooked chops to the dutch oven and cover with the pan liquids and any juices from the platter. Bring to a boil. Cover and move to the oven. Cook for 90 minutes to 2 hours, until tender, flipping the meat every 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the gremolata. When the veal is tender, remove from the oven and stir in the gremolata, cover and let sit for a few minutes. If the sauce is too thin, bring to a boil to reduce. Remove the large lemon rind and bouquet garnis prior to serving. Serve with mashed potatoes, polenta, parsnip purée, or all on its own!
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Copyright 2020, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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