Osso Buco

Ingredients

½ cup pancetta, diced
4 veal shanks (2–3 inches thick)
½ cup carrot, diced
½ cup celery, diced
1 cup onion, diced
4 cloves garlic
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup white wine
1½ cups chicken stock
flour for dusting the meat before browning
salt
fresh ground pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Brown the pancetta:

Heat a pot big enough to hold your shank on the stove top over medium heat for about 5 minutes, add pancetta to pan, cook until the pancetta is crispy and most of the fat has rendered out. Remove the pancetta and set aside.

Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan.

Season the veal shank well with salt and fresh ground pepper. Dredge the veal shanks with some flour, shake off any excess, and add the meat to the hot fat in the pan.

Increase the heat to medium high and cook the shanks on each side until well browned. Remove the shanks to a plate, set aside.

Add the onions, carrots and celery to the pot and cook the onion mixture, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent, then toss in the garlic and thyme.

Continue cooking until the vegetables just begin to brown

Add the shanks and the pancetta back to the pot. Pour in the wine and then add enough stock to come a little more than halfway up the sides of the shanks.

Bring to a simmer. Cover the pan and put it in the oven to cook until the meat is tender, about 1½–2 hours.

Polenta

Ingredients

⅓ cup shallots minced
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup white wine
salt to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste
1 cup corn meal
½ cup Courtenay Cheddar (Natural Pastures Cheese)
¼ cup cranberries
2 sprigs fresh thyme (chopped)

Method

In a medium sized pan, add the butter. Once melted, add the minced shallots and cook until translucent.

Add the chicken stock, wine, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Slowly add the corn meal, ¼ cup at a time, into the liquid, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. 

Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta reaches a creamy consistency. Remove from heat. Stir in the Courtenay cheddar (or other sharp cheddar cheese), cranberries and fresh thyme. Stir until combined and adjust seasoning as needed.

Walnut Gremolata

Ingredients

¾ cup chopped toasted walnuts
⅓ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
zest of one lemon
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 clove of fresh garlic
salt to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste

Method

Stir all the ingredients together until well combined, check seasonings and adjust as desired. 

Braised Belgian Endive

Ingredients

4 Belgian endive either whole or cut in half lengthwise
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
fresh ground black pepper (a few grinds)
2 cloves garlic
1 dash nutmeg
1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp water (start with a little water and add more if needed)

Method

Wash the Belgian endive. Remove outer leaves. Cut each Belgian endive in half lengthwise.

Pour the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the Belgian endives, salt and pepper. Sauté turning the Belgian endives over a couple times to get them brown.

Add the nutmeg, minced garlic and sugar. Continue to cook for another minute or so, turning them over once.

Add a little water and continue to cook until the endives become tender (about 10–15 minutes more). Turn them over from time to time to get all sides sautéed but be gentle since endives tend to fall apart when cooked.

Adjust the seasoning as desired.

Assembly

To plate use a 10-inch bowl, place a spoonful of the polenta in the middle of the plate, top the polenta with 2 halves of braised endive crossing each other. Place the osso buco off centre on top of the endives and drizzle with some of the osso buco braising liquid, then top with a tablespoon of the gremolata. Garnish with some blistered cherry tomatoes and finish with some flaked sea salt and fresh ground pepper.