During and after the war, a time of la cucina povera, the Italian peasantry of the north were sustained by polenta, those of the mezzogiorno by chestnuts, and those of the south by da fishes. Peasant cooking, the transformation of humble ingredients, is deeply satisfying and easy on the wallet. Unfortunately, fickle fashion means that veal shank, like once-cheap lobster and oyster, is now a rare treat.
Ossobuco: it's vealy, vealy good, as Basil Fawlty would say. Risotto alla milanese is the traditional accompaniment to Ossobuco in bianco, but I think it works just as well with farro or pearl barley risotto, which transforms this into a comforting, earthy dish.
Ossobuco in bianco with pearl barley risotto and gremolata
First, prepare your Ossobuco. I did this a day in advance. You may need more than one piece of meat each, depending on the size. Dust each piece with a mixture of flour, salt, pepper and a little dry English mustard powder. In a casserole dish large enough to take a single layer of meat, melt a little butter and oil on medium heat and brown the meat on each side. Remove the meat to a plate, and then sweat one finely chopped onion and two ditto celery stalks (all ingredients to follow are per 2 servings), stirring regularly, until soft. Add one crushed garlic clove and four chopped salted anchovies in oil. Cook for a minute and then add 1/3 bottle of white wine. Bring to the boil and reduce by half. Add the meat to the pan in a single layer. Cover with greaseproof paper and a lid (or foil), and cook in a slow oven (150°C) for 2 ½ hours.
To make the risotto, soak 200g barley in water for a couple of hours. Drain, and then place in a saucepan covered with fresh water. Simmer for half an hour, or until tender and toothsome. Meanwhile, sweat 3 chopped spring onions and in a little butter. Add some halved or quartered chestnut mushrooms and a little chopped thyme and cook on a gentle heat until the mushrooms give up their liquid. Turn up the heat and add a good splash of white wine or vermouth. Allow to reduce, and then add this to the drained barley, along with ½ tsp ground cinnamon and half a preserved lemon. Season to taste and add a glug of olive oil.
To serve, make a gremolata: 1 finely chopped garlic clove, the zest of 1 lemon and a handful of flat leaf parsley. Sprinkle over the dish.
