Recipe: Tobie Puttock's Ossobucco

The recipe this week is a real winter warmer.

Ingredients (serves two): 

• 6 pieces of veal ossobucco
• Plain flour for dusting
• 1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
• 1 small Carrot, peeled and finely diced
• 1 large stick of celery, washed and finely diced
• 4 slices of flat pancetta
• 1 large or 2 medium roma tomatoes, quartered
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
• 2 sprigs of Rosemary
• 6 sage leaves, washed
• 1 Bay leaf
• Flat leaf parsley, washed and roughly chopped
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 150ml vegetable stock
• Splash of dry white wine

Method:

1. Scatter about 100g of plain flour onto a plate and crack a little pepper and a pinch of sea salt onto the flour and then jiggle the plate around to combine.
2. Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil over a medium/ high heat in a large casserole dish or other pan with a lid.
3. Roll the veal in the flour so the entire surface is coated and then give little shake to remove any excess flour. Repeat for all the veal.
4. Carefully place the veal into the hot oil and seal until golden brown on all sides and then remove them from the pan to a plate and leave aside for the moment.
5. Remove any excess oil from the pan and add the onion, carrot, celery and the garlic and sauté over a medium heat until soft but not browned, add the quartered tomatoes, sage, bay leaf and then roughly chop the pancetta and add to the pan and continue to sauté for a further two or three minutes while stirring.
6. Add the veal back to the pan and allow the veal to heat for a moment before splashing in some white wine, allow the wine to evaporate almost completely before adding the stock.
7. Bring the stock to a gently simmer with the lid on and then place into a pre-heated oven on 220C.
8. After about forty minutes the veal should be lovely and tender, if not continue to cook until the meat is literally falling away from the bone. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
9. To serve sprinkle with a little bit of roughly chopped parsley and a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.