Slow Cooker Osso Buco with Gremolata

Slow Cooker Osso Buco with Gremolata

Ingredients:
Osso Buco:
Veal shanks
All-purpose flour, for dredging
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
Butter
Onions
Garlic
Carrots
Celery
Wine
Tomatoes
Stock
Parsley
Thyme
Bay leaf
Lemon zest strip
Salt and pepper

Gremolata:
5 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon grated orange zest

Directions:
1. Rub the veal shanks with flour, shaking off any excess. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add as many veal shanks as will fit in a single layer, and brown for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Work in batches if necessary. Transfer the shanks to the slow cooker.
2. Add the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and the butter to the skillet. Add onions, garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Scrape into the slow cooker. Stir in the wine, tomatoes, stock, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf.
3. Cook on Low for 7 to 8 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours, or until the meat is very tender. Skim as much fat as possible from the surface with a ladle. Remove and discard the bay leaf and lemon zest, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. While the shanks are cooking, prepare the gremolata: combine the parsley, garlic, lemon zest, and orange zest in a small bowl. Serve the veal shanks hot with a sprinkling of gremolata.
Note: The dish can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Reheat it, covered, in a 350°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until hot.

Variation:
Add 3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives to the slow cooker; you likely won't need additional salt.

Tip:
When browning floured meat, browning the flour is as important as browning the meat; it creates a sauce that thickens slightly without tasting pasty. If you don't want to brown the veal, thicken the juices with cornstarch instead.