Looking for an impressive but fairly simple recipe for a special dinner, I turned to my girl, Ina. As if my head could swivel in another direction, but with Ina all over every media medium promoting her new book, she seemed particularly essential. I went for her Osso Buco which I made the night before The Gentleman was to return home from a trans continental journey. Reading that this dish tastes even better on the second day, I figured not much could be easier than that. (The fun pre-party trick also allows you to skim off the solidified fat before reheating). The recipe was met with rave reviews and is one I’ll be turning to for entertaining.

Ina’s Osso Buco

• 8 pieces of bone in veal shanks
• 3/4 c. flour
• Salt & Pepper
• Olive oil
• 3 T. butter
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 leeks, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 T. lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 5 sprigs of thyme
• 1 c. dry white wine
• 3 c. chicken stock

1. Preheat oven to 350F (175C).
2. In a shallow bowl pour the flour and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Dredge veal shanks through flour mixture and set aside.
4. In a large pot, heat 2 T. olive oil over high heat and brown veal in batches, setting aside when finished.
5. In the same bowl, melt the butter and then saute carrots, celery, leeks, and onion until just softened.
6. Add in the garlic and lemon zest and cook for another minute.
7. Add thyme, wine, chicken stock, 1 T. salt, and 1.5 tsp pepper.
8. Return veal to the pot and bring liquid to a simmer.
9. Cover the pot and place in the oven for 1 hour and 45 minutes until the veal is fork tender.
10. Remove from oven and serve immediately or allow to cool to room temperature and refrigerate for next day.
11. Remove thyme stalks and solidified fat before reheating or serving.