Italian · Authentic-ish Italian
Ossobuco alla Milanese
706 kcal a serving, against 855 for the traditional version. That is 149 kcal off, or 17%, with 59.3g of protein. Serves 4. 2 hours 30 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Thick slices of veal shin on the bone, dusted heavily in seasoned plain flour, then fried in a heavy mix of butter and olive oil until dark brown. Braised for hours in white wine, rich beef stock, onions, carrots and celery. Finished with gremolata, which is a sharp mix of chopped parsley, garlic and lemon zest.
What changed, and what each change costs
Drop 50g of butter and 30g of olive oil down to 15g of olive oil
Searing meat in butter tastes great, but it adds a huge whack of pure fat to the pan. You only need a thin slick of oil to get a proper crust on the veal if your pan is hot enough.
What it costs you. Butter gives the finished sauce a glossy, rich finish that you lose here. You end up with just a slightly thinner sauce that relies entirely on the reduced stock for its mouthfeel. The version that's a disaster is still out there and still better.
Skip the 30g of plain flour
The flour is traditionally there to thicken the braising liquid as it cooks in the oven. Dropping it removes the starch from the plate.
What it costs you. You have to reduce the sauce on the hob at the end to get it to cling to the meat. It takes an extra 10 minutes of your time and demands a bit of attention right before you serve.
Trim the external band of fat from the 1200g of veal shin
Veal shin has a thick, tough belt of fat around the outside edge. Snipping it off saves fat while keeping the main muscle and the prized marrow intact.
What it costs you. Animal fat equals deep flavour. The resulting broth will taste a little less intense. You also have to tie the meat firmly with string so it doesn't fall apart in the pan.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 855 | 706 |
| Protein | 60.2g | 59.3g |
| Fat | 57.2g | 43.2g |
| Saturated fat | 22.8g | 15.9g |
| Carbohydrate | 15.9g | 10.4g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 7g | 8.4g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Italian prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. celery, sulphites.
The method is in the book
The marrow is still there, and that's all that really matters. You lose the buttery gloss of the old version, but you gain a sharper, punchier sauce that lets the meat speak for itself. You'll need a bit of bread to scrape the plate clean. It's exactly the sort of trade I'm happy to make.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Italian, along with 59 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.