Osso Buco With Anchovies and Sage

Ingredients

• Flour for dredging meat
• 6 veal shanks or lamb shanks, about 1 1/2 inches thick
• ½ cup olive oil
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 4 anchovy fillets
• 10 leaves fresh sage or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
• 2 cups dry white wine
• Chicken stock as needed
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

4 to 6 servings

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Dredge shanks in flour and shake off excess. Pour olive oil into a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add shanks and brown on both sides. Remove meat from pan, and place in large ovenproof casserole.
3. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the oil in the pan. Add garlic, anchovies and sage, and saute for 2 minutes. Add white wine and bring to a boil, scraping bottom of the pan. Pour liquid over meat in casserole. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake for 2 1/2 hours, or until meat is soft.
4. Remove meat to a serving platter. Pour juices in the casserole into a saucepan. There should be about 1 1/2 cups; if not, add chicken stock. Reduce liquid by half: about 10 to 15 minutes over high heat. Swirl in the butter, seasoning to taste, and pour liquid over the meat. Serve with assorted root vegetables.