Do I really need a starch with my Osso bucco???

For my May dinner I will be serving a 14oz 1 1/2" thick veal shank. I have always served some type of starch with the shank. I will be serving a plate of Gnocchi as a prior seperate dish. On the Shank plate I will be serving sauteed fiddlehead ferns and Sauteed Morels with a drizzle of white truffle oil and a glaze of brown veal stock. I was thinking of serving a bit of soft polenta. Do I really need it?????


Gary

Gary,
In my opinion, a properly made osso buco has a delectable sauce that begs for something to sop it up. Whether you go with polenta or the more traditional risotto milanese (or variation of risotto) is your choice. But if you are concerned about too much starch, consider a farrotto - essentially farro cooked in the manner of risotto. The whole grain nuttiness will be a perfect foil for both the veal and the morels. Note that farro takes longer to cook than rice, so you would want to parboil the farro before moving to the next step of risotto preparation (and skip the coating in butter/oil that one normally does when adding the rice to the skillet).

For my May dinner I will be serving a 14oz 1 1/2" thick veal shank. I have always served some type of starch with the shank. I will be serving a plate of Gnocchi as a prior separate dish. On the Shank plate I will be serving sautéed fiddlehead ferns and Sautéed Morels with a drizzle of white truffle oil and a glaze of brown veal stock. I was thinking of serving a bit of soft polenta. Do I really need it?????


Gary

No, of course you don't need it. However, as Bernard said, the sopping up part is most delectable. Personally, I don't favor farro with this dish. The nuttiness and bite of the Farro, does not seem as comforting as a creamy polenta, mashed potatoes with a good share of butter, or a simple risotto milanese. Since you will be serving the Gnocchi prior, the lovely, early spring ferns and Morels should do the trick. This is simply a matter of preference.

No need to cook a starch food if you don't want to. Just give the people some bread to mop up the sauce with.

I think you need something to help your spoon get all the sauce from the dish into your mouth. I prefer soft polenta myself, but I've also used a good sourdough bread. Or even both.

John

I really love polenta with nice deeply flavored beef dishes. I like to make it with part cream, part chicken stock, and a bit of smoked gouda.

Have fun and enjoy your dinner!

[Jenise]

What Bernard said. You don't need it, but it does make the sauce more consumable. Also, if you're serving on a plate, there's a practical consideration I love since I'm such a klutz: a starch underneath a sauced meat item helps prevent said item from sliding on the journey from the kitchen to the table.

What I am hearing then it is OK to serve both the gnocchi and the polenta. I understand the idea of not letting the meat slide on the plate. Please understand that I will be preparing a 7 course dinner with all of the goodies for 11 people. I will not have any real help for this labor of love so I am trying to save a bit of labor where ever I can. If I do the polenta, how fine do you like to have the corn meal milled? I was thinking to have it a little bit on the course side.
I make my polenta the old fashion way with cornmeal water and Salt and Pepper.


Gary

[Jenise]

What I am hearing then it is OK to serve both the gnocchi and the polenta. I understand the idea of not letting the meat slide on the plate. Please understand that I will be preparing a 7 course dinner with all of the goodies for 11 people. I will not have any real help for this labor of love so I am trying to save a bit of labor where ever I can. If I do the polenta, how fine do you like to have the corn meal milled? I was thinking to have it a little bit on the course side.
I make my polenta the old fashion way with cornmeal water and Salt and Pepper.

Gary

I love it coarse. And I usually use 50/50 water/milk. Even with 2%, it seems to make it creamier.

No need to cook a starch food if you don't want to. Just give the people some bread to mop up the sauce with.

Matilda says it for me.

Best
Rogov

What about a lightly grilled rather thin slice of Il Fornaio Ciabatta under the shank?

What about a lightly grilled rather thin slice of Il Fornaio Ciabatta under the shank?

Great. But only if you happen to like very soggy bread.

Best
Rogov

I understand what you are saying about the soggy bread. I find that the bread I am looking to use is very close to the Tuscan bread in that it holds up well when moist. You can actualy get it moist and wring it out like a sponge.

I, also, agree with what Matilda said.

-Paul W.

If you want to keep things simple, and if you are serving 7 courses you will want something light, why not use saffron rice? Risotto is very labor intensive when properly made and Polenta can take a while to cook, and both take up a stove top burner. Rice can be made the night before and quickly warmed in your oven, which I am assuming you will have on.

Good Luck
Rick

Days ahead of time you can boil the polenta, pour it into a cake pan, and cool it in the fridge. On the day of, cut squares of polenta, dress with herbs (and mushrooms), and run under the broiler.

Days ahead of time you can boil the polenta, pour it into a cake pan, and cool it in the fridge. On the day of, cut squares of polenta, dress with herbs (and mushrooms), and run under the broiler.

I thought about that. I just have a love for the soft polenta. Perhaps the polenta grilled over mesquite coals would be OK. Do you think a dab of gorganzola on the tip of the triangle would be a good idea. There would be 3 triangles with the widest part of the triangle under the shank. I love a good Gorganzola Dolce and this might sway me towards using the grilled polenta. I am just afraid that I will have too many things going on the plate with the cheese.

1. Duck fat sauteed Shitaki mushrooms with fresh herbs and a quick drizzle of white truffle oil and dressed with a brown veal glaze.

2. Sauteed fiddle head ferns with a hint of garlic.

3. A gremolata of orange and lemon zest, parsley, anchovy and a hint of rosemary.

4. Two slices of fresh poached veal marrow put over the shank before the gremolata.
The reason I am adding the marrow is I do not have the correct spoon to have my tasters remove the marrow form the shank and I do not want them to miss the flavor it adds to the dish.

The two side dishes may be served on another plate depending on how crowded the plate is.

[Jenise]

Love grilled polenta. I also brown the pieces in a frying pan earlier in the day and then set on a cookie sheet to warm up prior to serving. Good look, no last-minute hassle. And I'd say no on the gorgonzola for the reason you name.

Love grilled polenta. I also brown the pieces in a frying pan earlier in the day and then set on a cookie sheet to warm up prior to serving. Good look, no last-minute hassle. And I'd say no on the gorgonzola for the reason you name.

OK. You all have twisted my arm enough. I will serve a triangle of grilled polenta with the shank. I will make the polenta a day a head and pop it in the cooler. The day of I will grill it and then wrap it in foil. I will rewarm it in the foil in the oven and serve. I think that one 4 inch long triangle will do it.

Thanks for all of the ideas.


Gary