OSSO BUCO WITH TOMATOES, OLIVES, AND GREMOLATA

Osso Buco with Tomatoes, Olives, and Gremolata image

Yield Makes 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 25

For stew
8 to 10 (10-oz) meaty cross-cut veal shanks (osso buco; 5 to 6 1/2 lb total), each tied with kitchen string
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 (28- to 32-oz) can whole plum tomatoes with juice (not in purée), coarsely chopped
1 cup Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and halved
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
2 (2- by 1/2-inch) strips fresh lemon zest , cut crosswise into fine julienne
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
For gremolata
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh fresh lemon zest
Special Equipment
a 7- to 9-quart heavy ovenproof pot (wide enough to hold shanks in 1 layer)

Steps:

Make stew:
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Pat shanks dry and season with salt and pepper. Divide shanks and flour between 2 large sealable plastic bags and shake to coat, then remove shanks from bags, shaking off excess flour. Heat oil and 2 tablespoons butter in ovenproof pot over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then brown shanks well in 2 batches, 10 to 12 minutes per batch, transferring to a plate.
Reduce heat to moderate and add remaining tablespoon butter to pot along with onions, carrot, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring, until onions are pale golden, about 5 minutes. Add remaining stew ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring. Arrange shanks in pot in 1 layer and return to a simmer. Cover pot and braise shanks in middle of oven until very tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Remove strings from osso buco and discard along with parsley sprigs and bay leaf.
Make gremolata and serve osso buco:
Stir together gremolata ingredients in a small bowl and sprinkle over osso buco. Serve immediately.