Osso Bucco or Shin of Beef in Red Wine with a Saffron Risotto
 
This classic Italian recipe is the perfect winter warmer. A rich slow cooked shin of beef that melts in the mouth and is served with a creamy saffron risotto.
 
Ingredients
Serves 4
 
500g Shin of beef (we have used a hammer steak but you can use diced shin of beef)
2 tbsp Olive oil
Plenty of salt and cracked black pepper.
2 Medium white onions, diced
3 Stick of celery, chopped
2 Carrots, chopped
3 Garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp Rosemary, chopped
250ml Red wine, I use a good Malbec.
Try Beefsteak, its amazing for this recipe and available in most supermarkets
600ml Beef stock
 
For the risotto:
 
2 tbsp Olive oil
2 Garlic cloves, chopped
1 White onion, finely chopped
2 Celery sticks, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
200g Risotto rice or medium grain rice if you can’t get hold of risotto
200ml White wine
700ml Vegetable stock
30g Butter Salted
60g Parmesan grated
 
Here’s how:
 
To cook the beef, drizzle the meat with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.
Pre heat a large non stick pan and cook the beef until golden on all sides.
Add the chopped onion, celery and carrots.
Then add the garlic and scatter over the rosemary.
Stir the pan together to get all the ingredients mixed well.
Pour in the red wine followed by the beef stock and bring up to the boil.
Place a lid on the pan to trap all the heat and flavour in, then put in the oven for 3-4 hours at 160c or until the beef is cooked and tender.
You can also cook the whole thing in the slow cooker if you prefer.
When the beef is cooked turn the oven off and leave to rest while you cook the rice.
To make the risotto, pour the oil into a shallow pan and add the chopped garlic, onions and celery.
Season with salt and pepper and cook while stirring for 3-4 minutes.
Pour in the rice and continue to cook for a couple of minutes.
Pour in the white wine and boil until the wine is almost evaporated.
Add the stock a little at a time, while continually stirring. When the liquid has almost absorbed into the rice, add more stock.
The rice should take approximately 20 minutes to cook, so take your time adding in the stock and stirring the rice as this process will help release the starch from the rice and make for a creamy risotto.
When the rice is cooked add the butter and grated parmesan cheese before serving with the beef stew.
Serve with a Malbec, Montepulciano or Chianti
 
Recipe by peter Sidwell