Nitkos Veal Risotto Recipes

NITKO'S VEAL RISOTTO

Steps:

• Cut veal muscles into small pieces (as for paprikas).
• Mince onion very finely. (If you use fresh plum tomato first soak them 2-4 minutes in hot water, remove skin and "shave the best red part from it", remove seeds and cut into small pieces. If you use canned tomato, skip this part.).
• Sauté onion on olive oil until translucent, add meat and sauté 5-7 minutes. Add wine and sauté until alcohol evaporates (2 min.).
• Add finely minced garlic and tomato. Season with some of basil, marjoram and oregano (the rest add at the end). Season with salt and pepper. Stir well and cook about 20 minutes or until all liquid evaporates.
• Add rice and water as manufacturer suggests (Remember that you may have some water already in the pot, so count this water out). Cook until rice is done (20 min.).
• Before end you may add some of basil, oregano and marjoram if you did not put all at the beginning. Serve hot with grated parmesan.

BRAISED VEAL CHEEKS WITH COCONUT RISOTTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Season the veal cheeks with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and then add enough oil to lightly coat the skillet. Let the oil heat, and then add the veal to the pan, and sear it on all sides until browned.
• In a Dutch oven or oven-safe pot, cook the bacon slowly over low heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and ginger, and cook for 4 minutes. Add the wine, soy sauce, and pineapple skin, and bring to a boil. Add the veal stock, and return to a boil. Add the seared veal cheeks, and place pot in the oven to braise for 2 1/2 hours.
• Closer to serving time, make the risotto. In a medium saucepot, sweat the remaining diced onion in 2 to 3 tablespoons butter for 2 minutes over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low. Add the risotto rice, and stir with a wooden spoon to coat it in the butter. Slowly add the chicken broth in 2 equal additions, not adding the second addition until the first has been almost completely absorbed. Stir constantly during the entire process. After all of the chicken broth has been absorbed, add the coconut milk, and then add enough of the braising liquid until the risotto is cooked to your taste. Fold in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, papaya, tomato, and herbs. Serve immediately.
• Place the risotto in the center of a plate and place 2 veal cheeks on top. Garnish parsnip chips or fried shallots, if desired.

OSSO BUCO ALLA MILANESE

Steps:

• Melt the oil in a heavy casserole large enough to hold the veal in a single layer. Dust shank pieces with flour and lightly brown on all sides over medium heat. You may find the browning easier if you do not put all the shanks in the pan at once. Do not allow them to become dark or blackened. Remove the shanks from the casserole and lower heat.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• To the casserole, add onions, carrots and celery and saute, stirring until they begin to soften. Add garlic and saute a minute longer. Add wine and cook over medium-high heat, scraping the pan until all the brown bits clinging to it have dissolved. Stir in the tomatoes, stock and thyme.
• Return the shanks to the casserole, basting with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper, cover and bake in the preheated oven about one and one-half hours until the meat is tender when pierced with a fork. Baste the shanks several times during baking.
• Remove shanks to a serving dish and keep warm. Taste sauce and season with salt and pepper if necessary. If the sauce is too thin (it should be about the consistency of cream), place the pan on top of the stove and boil down the sauce for several minutes.
• Pour sauce over the shanks and top with a little of the gremolata. Pass the rest on the side.