Braised Veal Shanks With Rosemary and Thyme

Photo: flickr user Monica Arellano-Ongpin

Ingredients

All-purpose flour

6 piece center-cut veal shank, 1" thk (abt 3 1/4 lbs)

Salt to taste

Freshly-ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup olive oil plus

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 lrg onion finely chopped

1 lrg carrot peeled, and

finely chopped

2 celery stalks finely chopped

5 lrg fresh thyme sprigs

1 lrg fresh rosemary sprig

1 bay leaf

1 3/4 cups chicken stock

(or canned low-salt chicken broth)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place all-purpose flour in shallow bowl. Sprinkle both sides of veal shank pieces with salt and pepper. Dredge each veal piece in flour, shaking off excess.

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add veal pieces to pot, arranging in single layer, and sauteuntil brown, about 6 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer veal pieces to plate.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to pot. Add onion, carrot, celery, thyme sprigs, rosemary sprig and bay leaf and saute until vegetables brown, about 12 minutes. Season vegetables to taste with salt and pepper.

Place veal atop cooked vegetables in pot and pour chicken stock over. Bring to simmer; cover and place in oven. Cook until veal is very tender, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

Transfer 1 veal piece to each of 6 plates. Spoon excess fat off sauce, if desired. Spoon sauce and vegetables over veal and serve immediately.

This recipe yields 6 servings.

Comments: "At a recent lunch at the Stage House Inn in Scotch Plains, I was served a braised veal shank," writes Max J. Kalm of Westfield, New Jersey. "This version was so much better than the ones I"ve prepared. Would chef David Drake be willing to share his recipe?"

The restaurant serves this entree with a vegetable risotto. Mashed potatoes would also be a good side dish for the veal shanks.