BRAISED VEAL SHANKS WITH APRICOT ORANGE AND FENNEL

BRAISED VEAL SHANKS WITH APRICOT ORANGE AND FENNEL image

Yield 12 people

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

12 veal shanks (osso buco), about 1 1/2 inches thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 to 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 large red onions, diced
4 carrots, diced
3 ribs celery, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 fennel bulb, diced, fronds chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
1 quart chicken broth
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
6 anchovy fillets (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
2/3 cup dried apricots, sliced
Kasha pilaf, for serving (optional).

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Pat shanks dry with paper towels and season very liberally with salt and pepper. 2. Place a large, heavy roasting pan across two stove-top burners over high heat. Add 4 tablespoons of oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add veal and sear until well browned on both sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer veal to a platter. If pan looks dry, add another tablespoon of oil, and onion, carrots, celery, garlic, diced fennel bulb, ½ teaspoon salt and a generous pinch of pepper. Sauté over medium heat until onions are translucent and tender, 7 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue to sauté for 2 minutes longer. 3. Pour in wine and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits. Let simmer for 2 minutes, then add broth and simmer until liquid is reduced by a third, about 5 minutes. Stir in orange juice, anchovies (if using), sage, thyme, bay leaf, half the apricots and 2 tablespoons fennel fronds. Nestle meat into vegetable mixture and pour in any meat juices from platter. Cover pan with foil, leaving a corner turned up so some steam can escape, and braise in oven for about 2 hours, turning shanks two or three times as they cook. 4. When meat is quite tender, transfer it to a platter (on top of hot kasha if desired). Cover with foil to keep warm. Remove bay leaf from pan. Using a slotted spoon, transfer about a third of the vegetables to a blender or food processor and purée. 5. Add purée back to pan juices. Add remaining apricots and bring to a simmer for 3 minutes. Taste and correct seasonings. Spoon sauce over meat, and serve garnished with more fennel fronds.