WineLovers Discussion Group

Its already in the oven, and is made without tomato sauce or tomatos.

I'm thinking a Burgundy. Any other thoughts or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Richard

Richard, when you say no tomatoes, is this the classic "ossobuco bianco" from Milan, made with veal or chicken stock and a lemon/parsley/garlic gremolata? I make that a lot, and while Burgundy goes with EVERYTHING, of course, I most often accompany this dish with a good Italian white, a quality Soave or maybe one of the fuller-bodied whites from the South like Greco or Aviano.

But sure, a Burg ought to work.

Yes, Robin, that's pretty much what it is, with a chicken stock.

I don't have any Italian Whites, so guess I'll go with the Burg, though maybe a really nice white Burgundy might also go well.

Thanks for the help!

Richard

Oven for Osso Buco? Never heard of that recipe?

Anyway, I like Robin's wine rec or a light red like Lagrein or northern Pinot Noir.

Thomas wrote:Oven for Osso Buco? Never heard of that recipe?

I have two old recipes for ossobuco bianco, Thomas, one from Marcella and one from the Romagnolis. They're essentially similar, but one (I forget which) involves veal or chicken stock and white wine, the other stock only; and one cooks slowly on the stovetop in a covered skillet, the other in the oven. In my experience, the cooking method doesn't matter much. Either way, it's long, slow, moist heat.

Following Robin's post, Mario Batali's Osso Buco with toasted pine nut gremolata is done in the oven. I made this last weekend and we had it with a few well aged wines (nebbiolo and burgs). It does have a bit of tomato in it though.

Oh well, live and loin (pun intended, although it's shanks). Braising and oven don't seem to go together in my mind. I don't think I'll try it either.

That sounds good, Bill. Do you know which of his books the recipe appears in? I'm not seeing it in the three I own.

Regards and thanks in advance, Bob

Bob, it's in Simple Italian Food. If you dont have it and are interested, I can send you the recipe.

Ah, Molto Italiano. Don't know how I missed that -- it's clear in the index. Thanks Bill

Regards, Bob

I'm planning to make "Osso Buco alla Milanese" from Molly Stevens' All About Braising. Does anyone have any experience with that? Also veal or chicken stock and some tomato. I'm certainly aspiring to drink reds with it!
Charles

Charles,

I don't know which experience you are seeking, but I have a recipe similar to it. I use fresh tomatoes, onions, carrots, anise (instead of celery), and chopped garlic. Saute them in butter in the large braising pot until there is hardly any liquid remaining.

Over high heat, brown lightly floured shanks on both sides. Remove them, deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup Marsala or Madeira, cook down a few minutes, add stock (chicken, veal, or otherwise), warm over and then pour it into the braising pot with vegetables. Add the shanks to the pot, turn up flame to boil the liquid, then turn it to low, cover tightly and let simmer for 2 hours.

When done, I run the sauce through a food mill (makes a great soup stock). And the gremolade (parsley, garlic, lemon rind).

I've forgotten something but have to go catch a plane...

Charles Weiss wrote:I'm planning to make "Osso Buco alla Milanese" from Molly Stevens' All About Braising. Does anyone have any experience with that? Also veal or chicken stock and some tomato. I'm certainly aspiring to drink reds with it!

Although it's not a firm rule, Charles, and certainly not a food-and-wine-matching requirement, I just plain like to drink Italian wines with Italian dishes, and I almost always go with a Sangiovese-based wine or something of similar style (Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, f'rinstance) with dishes in which the tomato component is pronounced. I don't know Stevens' book (although the title sounds intriguing), so I'm not familiar with the detail of this recipe. But if it's not aggressively tomatoe-y, then I might go with something similar but lighter - a Valpolicella (not Ripasso/a) or even an Alto Adige Lagrein. Or even a fuller-style white.

And of course a Burg would work ...

Not much tomato. Soundssimilar to Bill's recipe. From what I've done so far, it's a terrific book. Turned on to it by WLDGer Greg Mitrakis and his wife Kathy when they made an incredible short rib dish from it to go with a Brace of Baroli. I'll probably go with Italian reds from sangiovese and/or nebbiolo that are old enough to be "light" though flavorful.
Appreciate everyone's help!
Charles