Ossobuco with creamy polenta

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 250 g onion(s)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 carrots
• 150 g celery with greens
• 4 veal leg slices, approx. 400 g each, 4 cm thick
• 5 tbsp flour
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 150 ml white wine
• 200 ml veal stock (alternatively meat broth)
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 stalks of thyme
• 1 bunch parsley, flat
• 1 red pepper
• 2 tsp organic lemon peel, finely grated
• 200 ml milk
• 400 ml veal stock (alternatively meat broth)
• Salt
• 100 g polenta (corn semolina)
• 30 g Parmesan, freshly grated
• 30 g butter

Instructions

Working time approx. 50 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes; Total time approx. 3 hours 20 minutes

1. Finely dice the onions. Chop the garlic. Clean and finely dice the carrots and 100g of celery. 2. Score the sides of the shanks to prevent them from bulging during cooking. 3. Tie the meat together with kitchen string to keep its shape. 4. Coat the veal shanks all over in flour. Shake off any excess flour. 5. Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a roasting pan. Fry the meat all over over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, season with salt and pepper, and remove. 6. Remove the oil from the roasting pan. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in the roasting pan. Fry the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery for 5 minutes. 7. Fry the tomato paste for 30 seconds, stirring occasionally. 8. Deglaze with the wine and reduce by half. Add the stock and 200ml water and bring to a boil. 9. Add the meat, bay leaves, and thyme. Cover and braise in a hot oven at 170 degrees Celsius (convection not recommended) in the lower third of the oven for about 2.5 hours, turning the meat once and roasting uncovered for the last 30 minutes. 10. For the gremolata, finely chop the remaining celery with the greens, parsley, chili pepper, and 1 garlic clove. Mix with the lemon zest. 11. For the polenta, bring the milk and stock to a boil and season with salt. 12. Add the polenta, stirring with a whisk. Cover and let the polenta swell over very low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 13. Remove the polenta from the heat. Stir in the cheese and butter and add more salt if desired. 14. Remove the ossobuco from the oven. Season the sauce with salt and pepper if desired. Sprinkle with gremolata and serve with polenta. Tip: The meat is fully braised and tender when it falls off the bone. Tip: In Milan, ossobuco is usually served with saffron risotto. I prefer creamy polenta, as it absorbs the delicious sauce so beautifully.