Ingredients
2 whole veal shanks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. Extra virgin olive oil
2 medium red onions
3 carrots
2 leeks
2 lemons
1 tbsp. saffron threads
2 c. dry white wine
1 c. basic tomato sauce
1/2 c. caperberries
Preparation
Step 1Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.Step 2Rinse and dry the veal shanks, and season them liberally with salt and pepper.Step 3In a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven that is large enough to hold the veal shanks comfortably, heat the olive oil over medium heat until smoking. Place 1 shank in the pot and brown it evenly on all sides, 15 to 20 minutes. (Take your time.) Carefully transfer the shank to a plate, and repeat with the other shank.Step 4Add the onions, carrots, leeks, lemons, and saffron to the pot. Cook over medium-high heat, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits, until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes. Add the wine, tomato sauce, and caperberries, and bring to a boil. Add the meat to the bubbling sauce and return it to a boil. Then place the pot in the oven and cook for 1 hour.Step 5Remove the pot from the oven, and carefully turn each shank over, using tongs and a fork. Return the pot to the oven and cook for another 2 hours.Step 6To serve, gently place the veal shanks on a platter, and spoon the sauce over them. The meat will be very tender. Carve with a carving fork and a large spoon instead of a knife.
For more recipes from Mario Batali, pick up his book Molto Batali: Simple Family Meals from My Home to Yours and catch him on the new ABC talkshow The Chew.
