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Act soon! Reserve before FEBURARY 1 to get a $150 EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT for wine tours of 6 or more days. Visit www.dolcetours.com/tour.htm for a calendar of our 10 itineraries in Tuscany, Piedmont, Sicily, the Cinque Terre and beyond. Dolce Vita returnees get an additional ALUMNI DISCOUNT. Call for details: 888-746-0022.

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“2006 was a 5-star year,” said Donatella Cinelli Colombini, owner of the eponymous Brunello winery in Montalcino during the harvest last fall. “That’s right; not 4-star; 5-star!” Again and again, that’s what we heard from winemakers up and down the peninsula during our tours season. All were delighted with the slightly askew weather patterns of 2006: a hot spring and hotter July; then a bizarrely cool August, which elongated the maturation process in a good way; followed by a perfect September with sunny days, mercifully little rain, and favorable nighttime temperatures.

 

Official sources agree. According to Giuseppe Martelli, director of the Italian Enological Association, after the grapes were picked and pressed, it was clear that 2006 "will be remembered as one of the best for quality in the past five years in central and northern Italy and above average in the south."

 

What better reason to tour Italian wine country this year with La Dolce Vita Wine Tours? Uncork 2006’s fresh whites and quaffable reds, and bring a glass down to the ancient cellars to get barrel tastings of the big guns that will be released in years to come.

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This classic recipe comes from LOBEL’S MEAT & WINE (Chronicle Books, 2006), a new cookbook published by three brothers who are co-owners of M. Lobel & Sons, an old, esteemed butcher on the Upper East Side of New York City. The great thing about a cookbook written by butchers is that it’s very clear and precise about cuts of meat and special preparations to request from the butcher – as the following recipe demonstrates. That’s great for those of us who are not regular meat eaters, but who want to indulge with a good meat recipe when uncorking our best red wines! Altogether, it’s an excellent addition to any epicurean’s cookbook collection.

 

OSSO BUCO ALLA MI***SE

(Traditional Mi***se-style Braised Veal Shanks)

 

In its older, more traditional form, dating probably from the early nineteenth century osso buco alla Mi***se seems to have been simply sections of veal shank braised with onion and white wine. At some point it became common to energize the dish with the last-minute addition of a ‘gremolata’, a lovely mixture of garlic, parsley, lemon zest, and sometimes anchovies.

 

Most contemporary recipes for osso buco tend to include lots of other things, such as carrots and celery and a variety of herbs. Sometimes a sizable dose of white wine is part of the plan, along with tomatoes or tomato sauce – never mind that the dish most likely predates the arrival of tomatoes in Italy. We decided to develop a recipe that reflected the earlier, simpler dish, though we’re not total purists, as we do add veal stock and a touch of tomato paste. Once you’ve made this stripped-down osso buco—especially when served alongside its classic partner, a saffron-scented risotto alla Mi***se—you may never go back to the ingredient-heavy version again.

 

(Serves 4)

Kosher salt

Four 8 to 10-ounce veal shanks, cut by the butcher as for osso buco about 1-1/2 inches thick, tied *

All-purpose flour for dredging

6 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon tomato paste

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 cups veal stock (or canned beef broth)

1 loosely packed tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 teaspoon finely minced garlic

2 teaspoons, finely grated lemon zest

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

 

2. Generously salt the veal shanks on all sides. Coat them with flour and knock off any excess.

 

3. Heat a large flameproof casserole or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When hot, cook the shanks until deeply browned, 8 to 10 minutes on the first side and 6 to 8 minutes on the second, reducing the heat if they threaten to burn. Stand the shanks on their edges and, holding them with tongs, brown these surfaces, working your way around the circumference of each shank (lean them against the side of the pot, if necessary). This will take another 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Discard the fat in the pot and wipe out any blackened bits.

 

4. Return the pot to medium heat, melt the butter, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until pale gold and soft, 15 to 17 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the wine and simmer until almost evaporated. Stir in the stock and 1/2 teaspoon salt, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Add the veal shanks and any accumulated juices and bring just to a simmer.

 

5. Cover tightly, transfer to the oven, and cook for 20 minutes. Reduce the over temperature to 250 degrees and continue cooking until the meat is very tender, 2 to 3 hours longer. Adjust the oven temperature as needed to maintain a bare simmer. Carefully turn the shanks over once or twice during braising.

 

6. The sauce, while somewhat thickened and very flavorful, should still be brothy. If necessary, gently simmer for a few minutes more to concentrate the flavor, but don’t concentrate it too much. The sauce should provide good moisture to the meat. Season the sauce to taste with salt, if necessary.

 

7. Transfer the shanks to warmed serving plates and remove the strings.

 

8. Stir in parsley, garlic, and lemon zest into the sauce. Spoon generous amounts over the shanks and serve immediately.

 

* Butcher’s note: These veal shanks are prepared as for osso buco. This means the shanks are cut into piece 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches thick and then tied with butcher’s twine to hold meat in place during cooking. Ask your butcher to tie them, or to do it yourself, tie the twine around the circumference of the piece, securing it with a tight knot. The twine should encircle the shank piece so that a little of the round bone is visible.

 

Wine notes: The Lobels suggest pairing the Osso Buco and saffron risotto with a traditional Valpolicella Classico from the neighboring Veneto region. We recommend the historic, 16th century ALLEGRINI estate is always reliable for this kind of classic style of Valpolicella, while TENUTA SANT’ ANTONIO is a new, up-and-coming producer in the east side of Verona who makes worthy Valpolicella and Amarone, in both new and old styles.

 

See more Italian recipes on our Recipes page: http://www.dolcetours.com/re_recipes.htm

 

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La Dolce Vita Wine Tours

576 Fifth St., Brooklyn, NY 11215

www.dolcetours.com

888-746-0022