Osso Buco with Pumpkin Risotto and Lemon & Black Pepper Flavour Pearls

 A Winter warming dish is exactly what we have here. Osso Buco with Pumpkin Risotto and Lemon & Black Pepper Flavour Pearls. A super tasty dish with such tender meat 😍 just what a chilly Winters night calls for.

Rather than finishing the dish with traditional Gremolata we have simply added some freshly chopped Parsley and some of our Lemon & Black Pepper Flavour Pearls. The perfect fresh contrast to the rich braised beef.  This is a great recipe to pop into your slow cooker. We’ve served the Osso Buco with our Gourmet Risotto – Pumpkin & Thyme. Mashed Potato or some soft Polenta would be great too.

What you’ll need – serves 4

• 4 pieces Osso Buco cut shanks (your butcher is the best bet)
• Flour 1/2 cup – seasoned
• Olive Oil
• Onion – 1 small diced
• Carrot – diced
• Celery – diced
• Garlic – 2 – 6 cloves (your choice)
• Bay Leaves
• Thyme
• Tomato Paste – 1tbs
• Tomatoes – 2 diced
• Red Wine – 1/2 to 1 cup
• Beef Stock – up to 1 litre
• Gourmet Risotto – Pumpkin & Thyme  (follow the directions on the packet)
• Onion – 1 small diced
• Celery – 1 stick diced
• Garlic – 1 clove slice/crush
• Chicken or Vegetable stock – hot
• Peas – 1/2 cup
• Butter – 1 tbsp
• Parmesan – 1/4 cup
• Parsley – chopped
• Lemon & Black Pepper Flavour Pearls
• A dish, tray or braising pan that’s 3 – 4 inches deep. Just cover with tin foil if no lid. Or a slow cooker.

To do

Set your oven to 160c. Or have your slow cooker ready.

First we need to dust the slices of Osso Buco cut Beef in the seasoned Flour. Put a frypan on the stove over a medium to high heat. Add enough Olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Once hot add the meat, one or two pieces at a time. Don’t overload the pan. We just want to brown both sides of the meat really well here. Once browned pop them into your braising dish/tray or slow cooker. 

Next

Give the pan a quick wipe out and put it back on the stove with a dash of Olive Oil. Add in the diced Onion, Carrot & Celery (equal amounts of each ingredient), Garlic, Bay Leaves and Thyme. Cook over a medium heat until it starts to get a little colour. Season well while it’s cooking. Add the Tomato paste and cook for a minute or so before de-glazing with some Red Wine. Add the chopped Tomato and a bit of the Beef Stock and bring to the boil. Tip this mixture onto the sealed Beef. Add more of the Beef Stock to the tray so that the meat is almost covered with liquid.

Pop on the lid or cover with tin foil and place in the oven. Check it after 90 minutes. Carefully open the lid/foil to avoid steam burn. Top up with more Beef stock if you think the liquid is evaporating too much and pop it back in the oven. It will likely take up to 2 1/2 hours to cook. We want the meat to be super tender. **This can be prepared days in advance and re-heated.

To serve

We need to get the Gourmet Risotto – Pumpkin & Thyme on. Heat up your stock. In a pot/saucepan add some Olive Oil and the Onion, Celery and Garlic, season well. Bay leaves if you have them too. And cook for a couple of minutes until beginning to soften but not colour. Add the Risotto mix and heat up the grains before deglazing with a dash of White Wine if you desire and 1/3 of the warmed Stock. Cook gently until it’s almost absorbed then add another 1/3. Repeat with the last 1/3. When the stock is almost absorbed turn off the heat, gently add in the Peas, Butter and Parmesan. Allow it to sit for a couple of minutes before serving. (OR Just follow the simple directions on the packet) Warm up the Osso Buco if you need to now.

Simply spoon some of the Pumpkin Risotto into each serving bowl. Top with a piece of Osso Buco and a little of the sauce. Scatter some chopped Parsley on top then finish with a generous spoonful of Lemon & Black Pepper Flavour Pearls.

Until next time

From the Peninsula Larder Team

“I followed my heart, and it led me to the fridge.”  

– Someone that sounds a little like me