Beef osso bucco with parmesan polenta and gremolata

Recipe by Smeg chef Elke Travers

Serves 4

A warming Italian classic – meltingly tender beef and creamy polenta with fresh and zingy gremolata – made with ease in Smeg’s combi-steam oven.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1.4kg beef osso buco or 1kg gravy beef, sliced

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 celery, finely chopped

1 tomato, skinned and diced

1 small bunch thyme

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

100ml white wine

500ml beef stock

Salt & pepper

Parmesan polenta

500ml (2 cups) milk

½ cup instant fine polenta

50g finely grated parmesan

50g butter

Gremolata

3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1 lemon, zested

1 garlic clove finely

Set combi-steam oven to fan forced + steam and pre-heat to 190⁰C with 70% steam.

Heat olive oil in a large, ovenproof baking dish over high heat.  Add beef and cook to brown on all sides. 

Add onion, carrot, celery, tomato, thyme and garlic and cook for a few minutes until the vegetables soften.  Add wine, bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes until reduced by half.  Add stock, season to taste with salt and pepper, return to the boil, cover, and place in combi-steam oven.  Cook for 1 hour 15 minutes, remove lid and cook for a further 15 minutes until the beef is very tender. For a thicker sauce, remove meat from the baking dish and set aside. Place baking dish on the cooktop and simmer for five to 10 minutes until reduced.  Return meat to sauce.

For polenta heat, bring milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan.  Add polenta slowly, whisking until smooth.  Continue to cook for five minutes until smooth, stirring frequently.  Stir through cheese and butter and season to taste with salt and pepper.

For gremolata, combine all ingredients.

Serve polenta topped with beef, sprinkled with gremolata.

Recipe created with the Smeg Classic Combi-steam Oven.