Braised Veal Shanks

A perfect, comforting dish for a cold winter evening..

3teaspoons olive oil

6veal shanks (about 4 to 4½ pounds total), about 1¼ inches thick, 3 to 3½ inches in diameter, tied with butcher’s twine

¾teaspoon kosher salt

¼teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

¼cup parsley

4 garlic cloves

¾pound onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

2leeks, white parts only,

cleaned well and cut into 1-inch pieces

2medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

1celery stalk, cut into 1-inch pieces

1tablespoon unsalted butter

1teaspoon dried thyme

1can plum tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped

¼cup dry white wine

¼cup chicken stock, nonfat, low sodium

1tablespoon tomato paste

1bay leaf

Makes 6 servings

Approximate preparation time: 35 to 40 minutes plus 3 hours for cooking

Place olive oil in an ovenproof 6-quart casserole over medium heat. While oil is heating, season veal with salt and pepper, and dust lightly with flour, shaking off excess. Once oil is heated, add the veal shanks and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Remove and reserve.

While shanks are cooking, insert the small metal chopping blade into the small work bowl of the Cuisinart® Food Processor. Add the parsley and process to finely chop, remove work bowl and reserve.

Insert the large metal chopping blade into the large work bowl. With the machine running drop the garlic through the feed tube to chop. Add the onions and leeks and pulse to chop, about 10 to 12 pulses, remove and reserve separately. Chop the carrots and celery by pulsing and add to the onion mixture.

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Once the shanks are well browned, add the butter to the casserole. Once melted, stir in the chopped onions, leeks, carrots, celery, garlic, and thyme. Cook until onions are translucent and vegetables are slightly softened, about

5 to 8 minutes. While vegetables are cooking, add the plum tomatoes to the large work bowl and pulse to roughly chop. Stir the wine into the casserole and reduce completely. Add the chicken stock and let the liquid come to a strong simmer. Stir in chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and bay leaf and again bring mixture to a low simmer. Add the reserved veal shanks, nestling them in the tomato/vegetable mixture, being sure liquid comes halfway up the shanks. Place cover on casserole and place in oven. Cook until meat is completely tender and falling off the bone, about 3 hours.

Degrease the cooking liquid with a fat mop. (Or pour the liquid into a fat separator and allow the fat to rise to the top. Then pour the defatted liquid back into the cooked vegetables.) Stir in reserved chopped parsley. Taste, add remaining salt if necessary and adjust seasoning accordingly.

Serve with pasta, potatoes, or polenta.

Nutritional information per serving:

Calories 607 (20% from fat) carb. 20g pro. 100g fat 13g sat. fat 4g chol. 381mg sod. 686mg calc. 179mg fiber 4g

Cuisinart FP-14DC manual Braised Veal Shanks, Perfect, comforting dish for a cold winter evening