Cozy AF Braised Veal Shanks and Saffron Risotto

veal shanks

🥗Healthier: chicken thighs

💰Cheaper: pork shanks

Chicken thighs are leaner, while pork shanks are more affordable.

saffron

💰Cheaper: turmeric

Turmeric provides color but lacks the distinct flavor of saffron.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grana padano

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free, while grana padano is a less expensive cheese.

Preheat the oven to 500°F.

Tie the veal shanks with kitchen twine using a surgeon's knot to keep them compact during cooking.

Generously season both sides of the veal shanks with salt.

Line a sheet tray with foil for easier cleanup and place a wire rack on top.

Drizzle olive oil over the shanks to help transfer heat, then place them in the 500°F oven to sear for about 25 minutes.

Chop 1 and 1/2 medium onions, 2 large carrots, and a large bulb of fennel into rough pieces.

Add 350 g of onion, 250 g of carrot, 250 g of fennel, and 30 g of peeled garlic into a food processor and pulse 20 to 25 times until broken down.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 4 to 5 cups of olive oil.

Add the chopped vegetables and a strong pinch of salt to the Dutch oven, stirring to combine, and sweat over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Add 20 g of chopped anchovies and 30 g of tomato paste to the softened vegetables, stirring to combine.

Melt 25 g of butter into the vegetable mixture.

If the vegetables stick to the pot, add a splash of water to release them.

Stir in 25 g of all-purpose flour to create a weak roux, cooking for 30 seconds to remove the raw flour taste.

Add 300 g of red wine to the pot, scraping the bottom to prevent burning, and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes to reduce the wine.

Stir in 15 g of Better Than Bouillon roasted beef base and 850 g of store-bought beef stock, bringing the mixture to a low simmer.

Add the seared veal shanks to the simmering braising liquid, pouring off any resting juices from the sheet tray, but skipping burnt bits.

Cover the pot and transfer it to a 300°F oven to braise for roughly 2 hours, checking at 90 minutes for tenderness.

After 90 minutes, check the veal shanks and if they are not tender, braise uncovered for another 30 to 40 minutes.

For the saffron risotto, finely dice 1 onion.

In a large saucepan, add about 1,000 g of chicken stock and 1 teaspoon of ground saffron threads, along with a splash of water to rinse out the mortar.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens