Ossobuco alla Milanese

Osso buco is a Lombard dish, and Milan does it somewhat differently. Many of the recipes you see are heavy on tomato sauce, but the authentic Milanese and Lombardy recipes are "in bianco" (literally, white) with just a touch of tomato sauce as color and sauce binder. We are going to classic cookbook author Pellegrino Artusi as our source for this classic recipe.

What you'll need: osso buco meat; onion, celery, carrot, white wine, beef or chicken broth, a spoonful of tomato sauce, garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, butter, olive oil.

Start by chopping a battuto: a small onion, a rib of celery and a small carrot.

Prepare the meat. Osso buco literally means "bone with hole" - it is veal shank. Artusi: "An osso buco is a piece of muscle and bone with a hole in it, from the upper extremity of the shank. Nick the membranes surrounding the ossi buchi in several points, or they will shrink, causing the slices to curl as they cook."

Brown the meat in butter or olive oil. Remove from the pan and set aside. Then saute the battuto vegetables until softened. Return the osso buchi to the pan, drizzle in about a half-cup of white wine and a soup spoon of tomato sauce. Pour in some hot broth, tir and cover the pan and simmer for an hour or so, adding more broth if necessary.

Meanwhile, mince half a clove of garlic, a bunch of parsley, a sprig of rosemary and the zest from half a lemon. When the meat is done, remove it to a platter. Take a small spoon of butter, roll it in flour and add it to the sauce, along with the mince. Cook another minute or two, then pour the sauce over the meat. Serve with risotto alla milanese or with polenta.