Orange Braised Ossobuco

Serve 6

Ingredients:

6 veal shanks, about 2 inches thick tied with kitchen twine
¼ c extra light olive oil
1 large onion –diced
8-garlic cloves -minced
1 large carrot- diced
1 celery stalk –diced
2 Qt. beef stock
2 strips of orange peel
2 tsp. orange zest –freshly grated mixed with 2 Tbsps. Minced Italian Parsley
1 rosemary sprig
5 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
¼ c all-purpose flour.
¼ c tomato paste
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat up 2 tbsp. of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Generously season the veal shanks with salt and pepper then toss in the flour making sure to shake off any excess.

Brown the shanks in the hot oil on all sides then transfer them to a bowl and keep warm.

Add the onion with a pinch of salt to the hot oil and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, carrot, celery, bay leaf, thyme and rosemary sprigs, toss to coat then sauté together for about 10 minutes until softened. Add the tomato paste and cook 3 more minutes.

Return the veal to the pot, add the orange peels and cover with the stock. Bring to a simmer, cover with a tight lid and transfer to a preheated 325 degree F oven. Cook for about 3 hours until the meat is tender when pierced with a fork.

Discard the bay leaf, thyme and rosemary sprigs and serve the veal shanks surrounded by the sauce it cooked in sprinkled with the mixture of the orange zest and parsley.