Braised Veal Shanks

Ingredients

• •8 pieces veal shanks
• •¾ cup all-purpose flour
• •3½ teaspoons salt
• •1¼ teaspoons black pepper
• •6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• •1 large onion
• •4 cloves garlic
• •5 fillets anchovy fillets
• •2 leaves bay leaves
• •1 cup dry white wine
• •1 can whole tomatoes
• •1 cup water
• •2 strips lemon zest
• •2 strips orange zest
• •¼ cup flat-leaf parsley
• •1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• •1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• •1 clove garlic
• •minced

Cooking Instructions

1. 1.

   Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

   10 min

2. 2.

   Pat shanks dry. Stir together flour, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper on a sheet of wax paper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. While oil heats, dredge 4 shanks in flour mixture, shaking off excess. Brown shanks in oil on all sides, turning with tongs, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large (17- by 12- by 2-inch) roasting pan. Add 2 tablespoons oil to skillet and repeat with remaining 4 shanks. Discard remaining flour mixture.

   20 min

3. 3.

   Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to skillet and cook onion, garlic, anchovies, bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add wine and boil, scraping up any brown bits, until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, water, zest strips, and remaining teaspoon salt and bring to a boil, then pour mixture over shanks. Tightly cover pan with foil and braise in oven 1 hour. Turn shanks over, cover, and continue to braise until meat is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours more.

   150 min

4. 4.

   Remove from oven and skim fat from surface of sauce, then transfer shanks and sauce to a large platter. Discard bay leaves.

   10 min

5. 5.

   Stir together parsley, grated zests, and garlic and sprinkle over shanks.

   5 min