Venison Osso Bucco

Fred being the Hunter~~ We really eat almost everything he hunts ~~ Of all the things I don't care for is the Wild Turkey~ It is just dry and not much meat. We have fried one before and it was Ok ~~ Still not my favorite. Our new favorite is Venison Osso Bucco ~ Love it! Fred has a first cousin who hunts also in Maryland. He told us to try this cut of meat (the shank ~ usually Fred throws this away ) This took a couple of tries to get the butcher to get the cut right but we are on a roll now. Try it you will Love it ! My recipe comes from Thibeault's Table ~ check out her blog ! I make Ina's oven Risotto and serve this on top.


"Recipes are meant to be shared"...Ann Thibeault

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2011

Osso Bucco is one of those dishes that I could never get excited about.  Many Osso Bucco recipes contain a can of tomatoes making the sauce more of a "tomato" sauce. And as much as I love tomato pasta sauces, it didn't appeal to me as a sauce for Osso Bucco.

Years ago I watched one of Lidia Bastianich's TV Series and in one of the episodes she prepare her Roasted Whole Veal Shank.  This recipe was from her cookbook  - Lidia's Italian Table.  I knew immediately that I would love this recipe and I was right.  I've made it often using the whole shank, but for just two, I adapt the recipe to make Osso Bucco.  The only tomato in the recipe is a squirt or two of tomato paste.

I really should make this recipe more often as it is a favourite of both of us.

You can't go wrong serving it over polenta or risotto.  

Last night I served it with a creamy polenta made with chicken broth, seasoned with garlic, salt and pepper  and finished with butter and fresh grated Parmesan and rapini.

Finished off with  a dusting  of Gremolata.

Osso Bucco

Based on Roasted Veal Shanks from Lidia's Italian Table

Veal shank cut into pieces 1 1/2 inches thick.
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large carrot, chopped
1 small onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
6 fresh sage leaves
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
(I keep a tube of tomato paste in the fridge
Salt/Pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F

Heat olive oil in oven proof pan. Brown veal shanks. Remove from pan and add chopped carrot and onions. Saute until tender. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Add rosemary and sage, one cup of white wine, chicken broth and a squirt of tomato paste. Cover and put in the oven for approximately 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender. Check occasionally to make sure there is sufficient liquid.


Serve over Polenta or Risotto and sprinkle with Gremolata

Gremolata

3 or 4 tablespoons of chopped parsley
1 clove of minced garlic
Zest of one lemon

Party Chicken Tettrazini

Made for the masses for the Thursday nights before both mine and my sister's wedding weekends.  Such a great casserole with a hint of sophistication. 

2 (3 lb) chickens, stewed (reserve 4 cups broth)

2 sticks butter, divided

8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms

1 cup finely minced onion

2 cups minced celery

1 cup minced green bell pepper

1 cup minced fresh parsley

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup heavy cream

4 oz of velveeta cheese

1 roll garlic cheese

1 (14 oz) can ripe olives, pitted and sliced

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 (4 oz) jar sliced pimiento, drained

salt and pepper to taste

8 oz spaghetti

Stew chickens until tender, reserving 4 cups of the broth. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Melt 4 tablespoons butter into a sauté pan and sauté mushrooms. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large sauté pan. Sauté onion, celery, green pepper, and parsley until wilted. Melt remaining butter in a large saucepan and gradually blend in flour. Slowly add reserved broth, then cream. Stir over low heat until mixture has thickened. Add cheeses and stir until melted.

Combine sauce with chicken and vegetables and all other ingredients except spaghetti. Boil the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain well and stir into chicken mixture. Turn into a large, buttered casserole dish. Bake 350 degrees until bubbly and heated through, usually 30-40 minutes. Serves 12.

German Potato Salad

A favorite of the Hartmann/Hlavacek family!  We make this all of the time and it is such a refreshing light version of classic potato salad.

3-4 lbs new potatoes (white and waxy looking or red potatoes,medium-sized

lots of minced fresh parsley (1/2 c - 3/4 c)

½ onion, finely chopped Vidalia (sweet)

Mayonnaise to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

1/3-1/2 c apple cider vinegar

1/3 c light olive oil

Put potatoes in cold water and bring to boil with skins on.  Reduce heat to simmer.  Cooking time will depend on size of potatoes - somewhere around 15-20 minutes.  Watch carefully and test with large pronged fork.  If sizes are different you will have to take small potatoes out first.  Cool and when can be handled, peel.  Don’t wait until they are cold.

Make vinaigrette dressing by whisking 1/3 cup vinegar and around 3/4 cup olive oil.  Add salt and pepper to taste (start with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper).  Whisk until emulsified and tastes good.  Add more vinegar a teaspoon at a time until taste suits you.  You don't want it too oily or too sour!  You could also add 1 teaspoon prepared french dijon mustard

Peel and slice potatoes.  I usually add the onion and dressing as I slice potatoes and put them in the bowl (you may not need all the dressing - you don't want it soupy!)  Add parsley to taste.  If made the day before, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.  Before serving add mayo to taste.  I usually use a mixture of regular and light or you can use all regular.  Just add a little at a time and gently fold it into the potatoes.  Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Kee's Rum Cake

If you know us - you know our rum cake.  A staple in our house both at Christmas time and pretty much anytime we go anywhere where we want to contribute!  You can't beat this.

Cake:
1 package yellow cake mix - Duncan Hines Classic Yellow
1 small package instant vanilla pudding (or french vanilla)
4 eggs
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup white rum
1/2 cup - 3/4 cup chopped pecans

Sauce:
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup rum

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease bundt pan well with Pam.  Sprinkle in nuts.  Mix cake mix, vanilla pudding, oil water and rum in bowl just until blended.  Add eggs and mix until blended.  Pour over nuts in pan.  Cook for almost 45 minutes until top is golden-brown and puffed up.

While the cake is cooking for the last five minutes, put butter, sugar, rum, and water in small saucepan with lid.  Heat just until boiling.  When cake comes out of oven, spoon it over the hot cake, careful to avoid dripping down the sides.  The cake will absorb all of the liquid.  Let cool completely.  Freezes well.