OSSO BUCO WITH TOMATOES, OLIVES, AND GREMOLATA

INGREDIENTS FOR THE OSSO BUCO:

• 2 - 4 Force of Nature bison osso buco (each tied with kitchen twine)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted, pastured 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 (we love Kettle & Fire Regenerative 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

INGREDIENTS FOR THE GREMOLATA:

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

PREPARATION: 

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Stir together gremolata ingredients in a small bowl and sprinkle over osso buco. Serve immediately. ENJOY!

*Recipe adapted from Epicurious