Osso Buco, Osso Good

I wandered through the grocery store aisle with no idea of what to cook. So I decided I would stroll through the new spring produce and shop until I found something that caught my eye. It didn't take long. I spied some fresh Rapini, kind of a cross between broccoli and a thistle.
"There's one down, what next?" I muttered to myself. Some parsley made its way into the basket, as did some garlic, onion, celery, lemons, an orange or two, and carrots.

Still feeling somewhat of a tomato hangover, I passed the bins of vine-ripened red deliciousness with hardly a glance. So it was on to meats. I've had my full of chicken for now, and wanted a cut I've never tried before. Passing the butcher's counter at a mozy, I saw some very juicy-looking shanks, and they looked very fresh indeed.

I made my choice. Rapini, and Osso Buco with a nice citrus, herb and garlic mix. People get all impressed when you say you're making "Osso Buco with Gremolata." It sounds so much more exotic and "chefy" than saying "I'm doin' lemon-herb pot roast." But I think food is as much about ideas and the imagination of the diner as it is about the food itself, and the former statement summons images of fancy little Italian eateries in some small village. Ok, enough waxing philosophical, let's get back to the food!

For a hearty beef shank cut like this, there is only one cooking vessel I could think of using. The great cast iron dutch oven.And for both the Greens and the Meat, the only technique that I wanted was the marvelous process of braising.

Just in the searing of the Osso Buco, I knew I was in for a treat. I let it cook with the aromatics in the oven, covered, for about 4 hours. The aroma of fresh thyme permeated every square inch of my place, and with any luck into several other apartments as well.

The Rapini, or Broccoli Rabe as it's also called; was tender, crisp and has a flavor that suits it look. Not quite broccoli, not quite thistle, and a great blend of the two. My favorite aromatic of all for such a vegetable is easily minced garlic. So that's what I braised the Rapini in, a mixture of olive oil, white wine, garlic, a bit of lemon and a splash of chicken stock just to keep things from burning.

There are some dishes that just take a tremendous effort to actually put on a plate instead of diving fork-first into them right off the stove. This was one of those dishes. After the photos I took for the blog, I didn't even get the power button on the camera pressed before I was enjoying gastronomic ecstasy. The crisp but unoppressive bitterness of the Broccoli Rabe made a perfect balance with the sheer sweetness of the Osso Buco. And the simple gremolata of citrus, garlic, and parsley brought forth such a bright and palate-cleansing quality that every bite bore a semblance to a zen-like state in and of itself. Bitter, sweet, juicy, lip-smacking heaviness on the tongue, and then the bright and cleansing rise of citrus and parsley. For this dish, there was no sauce required whatsoever.

And just to think that I had no idea what I was going to cook that night makes it all the more satisfying of a journey. It easily rivaled filet mignon in sheer flavor and enjoyment. I am becoming more and more convinced that you can literally slow-braise just about anything, and wind up with a dish that really satisfies. I should do this blind-supermarket wandering more often.

466 adventures to go!