Veal shin osso buco, macaroni Gruyère cheese topping, bone marrow and cep crumb, gremolata

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Osso buco - literally bone with a hole - is an Italian dish of bone-in veal braised with vegetables, veal stock and white wine which is served topped with a fresh gremolata. It’s traditionally paired with a risotto Milanese, but here Tony Fleming has swapped this out for an utterly untraditional, but equally comforting Gruyère mac and cheese.

First published in 2022

You can use beef dripping or rendered bone marrow for the crumb. To make the rendered bone marrow, Chef Fleming recommends roasting several kilos of split beef marrow bones in the oven at 160°C for 30 minutes. Drain off the fat from the pan, and then scoop the marrow fat from the bones and push it through the sieve.

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Veal Ragout

Gremolata

Macaroni Cheese

Bone Marrow Crumb

Method

1

Season the shin well all over and lightly dust with flour

2

In a deep pan, seal off the shin, browning all over, then remove the meat from the pan

3

Pour out the excess fat from the pan and set aside. Add the butter and when melted add all chopped vegetables. Cook for five minutes on a high heat until soft, but not coloured, and season well

4

Add the tomato purée and cook out over medium heat for 4-5 minutes

5

Add the wine, turn the heat up to high, and cook until the wine has reduced by three quarters

  • 300ml of white wine
6

Wrap up the herbs with the peppercorns in muslin, add this to the pan with the plum tomatoes, and cook over a high heat until the tomatoes begin to break down, about 10-15 more minutes

7

Add the brown sugar and cook for 5 more minutes, then season again

  • 40g of brown sugar
8

Return the pieces of veal back to the pan and add the brown stock and tinned cherry tomatoes. Top up the pan with water until the meat is totally covered

9

Season again then bring to the boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes, skimming off any impurities as it cooks

10

Preheat the oven to 120°C/gas mark 1/2

11

Cover the pan with a cartouche (piece of baking paper cut to the shape of the pan) and tin foil. Then, transfer to the oven and cook for 2-3 hours or until the meat easily falls off the bone

12

While the veal cooks, make the gremolata by combining all of the ingredients together. Taste and adjust the seasoning

13

Once the veal is tender, leave the osso buco in the pan for 1 hour to rest

14

While the veal rests, make the macaroni and cheese. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, and add the macaroni. Cook until just al dente, then drain and refresh (rinse) in cold water to stop the pasta from overcooking. Drain again and then mix through the olive oil and keep to one side

15

Add the milk and cream to a saucepan pan and warm through but do not boil

  • 500ml of milk
  • 100ml of whipping cream
16

Melt the butter in a separate medium saucepan. Add all the flour, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring regularly

  • 30g of butter
  • 30g of plain flour
17

Gradually add the milk and cream mixture to the roux, whisking as you go to keep it smooth

18

Cook the sauce at a gentle simmer for 15 minutes

19

Add all the cheese to the sauce and whisk until smooth over a low heat

20

Taste, and adjust the seasoning

21

Discard the bouquet garni from the osso buco. Remove the veal from the pan, and break the meat into large chunks removing any sinew or cartilage. Set the meat to one side. Scoop out the marrow from the veal bones and put it back in the pot

22

Put the sauce back on the stove and reduce it slowly over a low heat until thick, skimming off any fat as you go

23

Pour the sauce over the veal to cover it, and then set to one side, covered to keep it warm

24

For the bone marrow crumb, melt the beef fat in a pan

  • 100g of beef dripping, rendered from marrow bones, or aged beef fat
25

Add the panko and toast in the fat over a medium heat until golden brown

  • 100g of Panko breadcrumbs
26

Add the thyme and porcini powder and mix well. Season with salt to taste

27

Lay the bone marrow crumb on a tray with kitchen paper to dry out any remaining moisture

28

To serve, spoon the warm veal mixture into 4 serving dishes (I used iron ones) only filling them halfway

29

Warm the cheese sauce through and add the macaroni. Taste and season with salt again. Ensure it is hot all the way through

30

Spoon the macaroni and cheese on top of the veal shin, covering the edges

31

Sprinkle over the beef and cep crumb and serve the gremolata in a dish on the side

First published in 2022

Tony Fleming built a reputation off sophisticated fish and seafood dishes at Angler, but now he's showing the full extent of his armoury at legendary restaurant Le Pont de La Tour, where he cooks classical, comforting food to the highest standards.

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