We have plenty of cuts and options for your winter menu. If you want to keep the winter lurgy at bay, a daily mug of warm bone broth is a delicious warming, immune booster. To get the best bang for your buck roast a chicken and use the carcass and neck as a base for your soups or roast a pork shoulder low and slow and use the leftovers for sandwiches the next day. Diced beef is perfect for stews, curries or stroganoff. It is the champion of a low and slow cook and a great cut for a cheap meal.
Our favourite winter meal is Osso Bucco. The name of this dish translates to "bone with a hole," and is believed to have originated in the city of Milan in the 19th century. The dish traditionally features cross-cut veal shanks, typically from the hind leg of the calf, cooked slowly until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender.
OSSO BUCCO RECIPE
Ingredients
1 large brown onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1.2kg osso buco beef (4 large pieces)
1/4 cup plain flour
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup tomato passata
1 1/2 cups liquid stock
Method
Place onion and carrots in the base of a slow cooker. Heat oil in a frypan over medium heat. Season osso buco pieces liberally with salt and pepper, then dredge in the flour. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until well browned. Transfer to slow cooker and place in a single layer on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle garlic over the meat.
Add wine to frypan and allow to bubble up. Stir in tomato passata and stock and bring to the boil. Pour over meat in slow cooker. Cover with lid and cook for 6 hours on high or 8 hours on low until meat is falling apart.
Serve with mashed potato or polenta and steamed green vegetables.
Osso buco is traditionally served sprinkled with gremolata - a mixture of chopped garlic, parsley and lemon rind. It adds a lovely tang and is worth the extra effort!
Order your winter goodies here.
