Osso Buco : But Make it Easy

My Dad ordered it whenever offered, a special, usually off menu, at every Italian restaurant we went to. “Eww,” I scoffed, with nose wrinkled up to furrowed brow, lips wrinkled down to frown. “Gross.” Although I didn’t even know what Osso Buco was. And when it arrived table side, it certainly looked better than my boring Pasta E Fagioli soup, light on the pasta, and the cold crusty bread, less bread, more crust.  

His massive, Flintstone sized meat melting off the bone on a bed of risotto Milanese style, yellow and creamy, was really like a dream, but teenage me was always looking for conflict. “Disgusting.” I scoffed at everything actually. If he ordered lobster, I’d request he cover it’s head because “it was looking at me,” but the meat thing was particularly triggering because my Dad’s in the meat business — so naturally I was a vegetarian. I didn’t start eating meat until I moved to New York for culinary school post college. Looking back, this is how I got my Dad’s attention. Pick at him — or his food, before realizing that cooking instead of judging or looking disgusted, was the way in — through his heart to his belly. Ahhh, compassion: something sometimes foreign to teenagers. But complaining (and vegetarianism) got his attention. 

Today, I love meat — more carnivore, ie animal protein than anything. Because over the last few months of “listening,” I’ve shifted my diet entirely. Our bodies tell us what to eat, when to eat, and how much — when we’re full and when to keep eating. The secret is in the quiet, so we can hear our bodies speak. For years I’ve craved sugar because my body wasn’t getting enough protein. I convinced myself that eating vegetables was “healthy” although my body and the amount that I move physically, strongly disagreed. But I was eating with my mind, not my body. We’re all learning. 

Back to the listening thing … which is only possible if we find time to STOP moving, distracting, filling our time and our bodies with extra EVERYTHING, to distract us from feeling. So my routine is simple — but habitual, no excuses. My excuses are just limiting me. Stay tuned for my morning routine — But for now, enjoy this recipe, which came spontaneously. I don’t plan, I like to use what’s on hand, which involved one veal shank and one beef shank this week. Playing Chopped (not perfecting) excites me, challenges me and satiates mine and the bellies around me. Cooking should be fun. Less thinking, more feeling. And cooking at home always feels more satisfying: healthier, cheaper and easy, because there is comfort (and an element of control) when you know what you’re eating.  Take it from someone who’s spent a LOT of time in restaurant kitchens — there is fat, butter, oil, salt, and hands in everything.
Our bodies don’t need all that extra, all the time. Keep it easy. 

What doesn’t challenge us doesn’t change us so consider just two things: 
1. Find a few moments to be quiet with YOU this weekend.
2. Make this easy Osso Buco recipe, which takes about 1/2 the time as last week's  Short Rib Recipe.

Osso Buco Made Easy 
For 2 

Veal or Beef Shanks, no amount here, just make how much you want to eat. 
Flour, optional
1/2 can anchovies, roughly chopped 
6-8 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped 
1 small tomato, roughly chopped (I only had one)
1 yellow onion. Sliced thinly
1 small head Cabbage, sliced thinly 
1 cup Dry White Wine: use what you’d drink, (but not on your birthday) easy and cheap 
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 cup Raos tomato sauce, if you have it on hand  
A few tablespoons Capers
1 - 2 cups chicken stock 
Parmigiano to serve 
Basil to serve 
Crusty bread if you’re so inclined.
Flour, optional 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Dry off shanks with paper towel. Flour is optional but if you prefer a bit of crust, sprinkle flour and pat on all sides so it's distributed evenly. I’m talking a light dusting, not a dredge. Season with salt and pepper. In a large cast iron pot, heat extra virgin olive oil until smoking. Sear shanks until golden, for a good amount of time, 7ish minutes on both sides. Remove from pan to paper towel lined plate. Rest. In the same pan, and the same fat and yummy crunchy brown bits, lower heat to medium and sauté garlic, onion and cabbage with anchovies until softened. Do not burn. Add chopped tomato and tomato sauce. Allow to simmer. Add white wine and chicken or beef stock to simmer. Place shanks back in pan and snuggle in the sauce. Turn off heat and stir in some Rao’s tomato sauce — this is extra, but sometimes I’m extra. Add a few tablespoons of capers. Cover pan and place in oven for 90+ minutes until meat is fork tender, falling off bone. Serve with freshly torn basil leaves, parmigiana and warm crusty bread to soak up the sauce. I also served it with finely chopped sautéed spinach in anchovy oil with lemon.  You do you.
Love Always, xx Olivia 

MORE: 
4 Lessons I Learned at the Red Hot Chili Peppers Concert 
How I Confront Challenge: 
Recent podcast with the most impactful healer I’ve worked with for the past 1.5 years.
Favorite quote: The secret to having it all, is knowing you already do.
More cooking videos via instagram or more recipes, here.


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Cooking isn't complicated. Your body knows when its hungry, what for, and when full. 
Trusting ourselves is an inside job :)  Listening makes life worth living.  Send photos!