Veal Ossobuco with Funnel Chanterelles, Parmesan Polenta and Candied Rosemary Chestnuts

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the meat

   Pat the shank slices dry, cut the meat off the bone in large pieces and keep the marrow bones. They go back into the pot later and give the sauce its depth.

   
2. 2

   Warm the mushroom stock

   Put the dried funnel chanterelles and the stock in a pot and warm slowly over low heat. Do not let it boil: the mushrooms should swell gently and release their aroma.

   
3. 3

   Sear hard

   Heat the clarified butter in a heavy casserole until very hot. Brown the meat well on all sides in two batches, season with salt and pepper and take it out. Leave the browned bits in the pot.

   
4. 4

   Sweat the vegetables

   Halve the shallots, slice the leek into rings and cut the celeriac into rough pieces. Sweat everything in the fat over medium heat for about 8 minutes until the shallots are translucent and the browned bits come loose.

   
5. 5

   Coat in flour

   Briefly toss the browned meat in the flour in a bowl so that each piece is lightly covered. The flour later binds the sauce and makes it silky.

   
6. 6

   Braise slowly

   Add the meat, marrow bones and thyme to the vegetables. Pour in the warm mushroom stock with the mushrooms little by little, stirring so the flour does not form lumps. Set the lid slightly ajar and simmer over the lowest flame for 3 to 4 hours until the meat falls apart by itself. Remove the thyme sprigs and bones, stir the marrow into the sauce and adjust the seasoning.

   
7. 7

   Roast the chestnuts with steam

   This fits nicely while the meat braises: preheat the oven to 200 °C. Score a cross into the rounded side of each chestnut. Put a dish of hot water on the oven floor so the chestnuts do not dry out, and roast for 20 to 25 minutes until the shells burst open. Let them cool a little and peel them, removing the thin skin too. Keep a few unpeeled ones for decoration.

   
8. 8

   Cook the polenta

   Bring the water to the boil with a teaspoon of salt, rain in the polenta while stirring and let it swell over low heat as directed on the packet, stirring often. Take off the heat and stir in the butter and Parmesan.

   
9. 9

   Fry and flip the polenta

   Spread the polenta about 2 cm thick in a lightly oiled non-stick pan and let it set for 20 to 30 minutes. Add the olive oil around the edge and fry the underside over medium heat until golden. To flip it, place a plate larger than the pan upside down on top. Hold pan and plate firmly together with a cloth, turn them over in one quick, decisive move and lift off the pan. Slide the polenta from the plate back into the pan, fry the second side until golden too, turn it out onto a board and cut into pieces.

   
10. 10

    Candy the chestnuts

    Melt the butter and sugar in a pan over medium heat until the sugar begins to caramelise. Add the chestnuts and rosemary, pour in the lemon juice and toss until the liquid has reduced and the chestnuts are glossy.

    
11. 11

    Plate up

    Set a piece of polenta on each plate, add the ossobuco with plenty of sauce and mushrooms beside it and pile the candied chestnuts on the polenta. Finish with a small piece of fresh rosemary and the burst chestnuts.