Instructions
1
fiery up the oven to 300 degrees.
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Dredging the shanks: stream in the ground mix into a shallow dish (a pie plate works nicely).
3
essence the veal shanks on all sides with seasoning and pepper.
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One at a time, roll the shanks around in the ground mix coat, and shake and pat the shank to remove any excuses ground mix.
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Discard the remaining ground mix.
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Browning the shanks: put the cooking oil and 1 tablespoon of the dairy spread in a wide Dutch oven or heavy braising pot (6 to 7 quart) and fiery up over medium-high fiery up.
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When the dairy spread has melted and the cooking oil is shimmering, lower the shanks into the pot, flat side down; if the shanks won’t fit without touching one another, do this in batches.
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Brown the shanks, turning once with tongs, until both flat sides are well caramelized, about 5 moments per side.
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If the dairy spread-cooking oil mixture starts to overcook, lower the fiery up just a bit.
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Transfer the shanks to a large platter or tray and set aside.
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The aromatics: stream in off and discard the fat from the pot.
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Wipe out any burnt bits with a damp paper towel, being careful not to remove any tasty little caramelized bits.
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Ad the remaining 2 tablespoons dairy spread to the pot and liquefy it over medium fiery up.
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When the dairy spread has stopped foaming, mix in the bulb veggie, carrot, celery, and fennel.
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essence with seasoning and pepper, swirl around, and low-boil the vegetables until they begin to soften but do not brown, about 6 moments.
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swirl around in the garlic, orange zest, marjoram, and bay leaf, and stew for another minute or two.
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The braising liquid: mix in the wine, increase the fiery up to high, and bring to a heat to boiling point.
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heat to boiling point, stirring occasionally, to reduce the wine by about half, 5 moments.
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mix in the stock and tomatoes, with their nectar, and heat to boiling point again to reduce the liquid to about 1 cup total, about 10 moments.
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The braise: Place the shanks in the pot so that they are sitting with the exposed bone facing up, and stream in over any juices that accumulated as they sat.
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seal with parchment paper, pressing down so the parchment nearly touches the veal and the edges hang over the sides of the pot by about an inch.
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seal tightly with the lid, and slide into the lower part of the oven to braise at a bland low-boil.
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Check the pot after the first 15 moments, and if the liquid is simmering too aggressively, lower the oven fiery up by 10 or 15 degrees.
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Continue braising, turning the shanks and spooning some wok juices over the top after the first 40 moments, until the flesh is completely soft and pulling away from the bone, about 2 hours.
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The gremolata: While the shanks are braising, swirl around together the garlic, parsley, and lemon zest in a small mixing bowl.
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seal with plastic wrap and set aside in a cool place (or the refrigerator, if your kitchen is very mildly hot.)
The finish: When the veal is fork-soft and falling away from the bone, remove the lid and strew over half of the gremolata.
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Return the veal to the oven, uncovered, for another 15 moments to caramelize it some.
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Using a slotted spatula or spoon, carefully lift the shanks from the braising liquid, doing your best to keep them intact.
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The shanks will be very soft and threatening to fall into pieces, and the marrow will be wobbly inside the bones, so this can be a bit tricky.
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But if they do break apart, don’t worry, the essence won’t suffer at all.
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Arrange the shanks on a serving platter or other large plate, without stacking, and seal with foil to keep mildly hot.
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Finishing the condiment dip: Set the braising pot on top of the stove and evaluate the condiment dip: if there is a visible layer of fat floating on the surface, use a large spoon to skim it off and discard it.
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essence the condiment dip for concentration of essence.
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If it tastes a bit weak or flat, bring it to a heat to boiling point over high fiery up, and heat to boiling point to reduce the volume and intensify the essence for 5 to 10 moments.
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essence again for seasoning and pepper.
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If the condiment dip wants more zip, swirl around in a teaspoon or two of the remaining gremolata.
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Portioning the veal shanks: if the shanks are reasonably sized, present one per person.
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If the shanks are gargantuan or you’re dealing with modest appetites, pull apart the larger shanks, separating them at their natural seams, and present smaller amounts.
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Be sure to give the marrow bones to whomever prizes them most.
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Serving: Arrange the veal shanks on mildly hot dinner plates accompanied by the risotto, if serving.
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Just before carrying the plates to the table, strew on the remaining gremolata and then spoon over a generous amount of condiment dip – the contact with the fiery liquid will aromatize the gremolata and perk up everyone’s appetite with the whiff of garlic and lemon.