Wine Braised Veal Shanks - Osso Bucco (slow cooker)

[Olga Drozd]

Wine Braised Veal Shanks (crock pot)

The shanks for this no tomato version tend to be expensive, making it a bit of a splurge.  But it's a splurge to remember.  Serve with crusty bread.  If you don't have or don't want to use white wine in this recipe, you can substitute an equal amount of sodium reduced chicken broth and 1 1/2 teaspoon wine vinegar.

You will need a 6-quart slow cooker (6 L)

3 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper - divided
8 pieces veal hind shank (1 1/2 inches / 4 cm thick), about 4 1/2 pounds (2.25kg)
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil - divided
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
3/4 cup white wine
3/4 cup sodium reduced chicken broth
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/2 cup halved pitted green olives
1 Tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

In shallow dish, stir together flour and half each of the salt and pepper.  Firmly tie kitchen string around each veal shank; press into flour mixture to coat.  Reserve remaining flour mixture.

In large skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of the oil over medium high heat; brown veal, in batches.  Transfer to slow cooker.

Drain fat from skillet; add remaining oil.  Fry onion, garlic, rosemary and remaining salt and pepper over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.  Scrape into slow cooker.

Add wine to skillet; bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from bottom.  Scrape into slow cooker along with broth and lemon rind.  Stir to combine.

Cover; cook on LOW until shanks are tender, 6 to 8 hours.  Skim off any fat.  Stir in olives, capers and lemon juice.  Move veal and vegetables to 1 side.

Whisk remaining flour with 3 Tablespoons water; whisk into liquid in slow cooker.  Stir to redistribute ingredients.

Cover and cook on high until thickened, about 15 minutes.  Sprinkle with parsley.  Makes 8 servings.