INGREDIENTS

6 (16+oz each) Force of Nature bison osso buco (each tied with kitchen twine)  |  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- to 32-oz) can whole plum tomatoes with juice (not in purée), coarsely chopped  |  1 cup Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and halved  |  1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves  |  2 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs  |  1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf  |  salt and pepper to taste

For Gremolata:

3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley  |  1 large garlic clove, minced  |  1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest

PREPARATION: 

• Preheat oven to 325°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.

• Stir together gremolata ingredients in a small bowl and sprinkle over osso buco. Serve immediately. ENJOY!

*Recipe adapted from Epicurious