- For stew:
- 10 ounces meaty cross-cut veal shanks (osso buco), each tied with kitchen string
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 1 small carrot, finely chopped
- 1 celery rib, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 (28 ounce) can whole plum tomatoes with juice (not in puree), coarsely chopped
- 1 cup Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and halved
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 (2- by 1/2-inch) strips fresh lemon zest, cut crosswise into fine julienne
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- For gremolata:
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
- Special equipment: a 7- to 9-quart heavy ovenproof pot (wide enough to hold shanks in 1 layer)
- Make stew: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Pat shanks dry and season with salt and pepper. Divide shanks and flour between 2 large sealable plastic bags and shake to coat, then remove shanks from bags, shaking off excess flour. Heat oil and 2 tablespoons butter in ovenproof pot over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then brown shanks well in 2 batches, 10 to 12 minutes per batch, transferring to a plate.
- Reduce heat to moderate and add remaining tablespoon butter to pot along with onions, carrot, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring, until onions are pale golden, about 5 minutes. Add remaining stew ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring. Arrange shanks in pot in 1 layer and return to a simmer. Cover pot and braise shanks in middle of oven until very tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Remove strings from osso buco and discard along with parsley sprigs and bay leaf.
- Make gremolata and serve osso buco: Stir together gremolata ingredients in a small bowl and sprinkle over osso buco. Serve immediately.