Osso Buco Cazuela de Vacuno

Method

1. Pat the beef thoroughly dry and season with some of the salt. Heat the oil in a heavy 4 L pot on medium-high heat until very hot, then sear the beef for 6 min in total, turning once, without moving it until a dark brown crust forms. If the pot is crowded, sear in two batches so the meat browns instead of steaming. Set it aside on a plate.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil 1½ tbspBeef shin osso buco, bone in, 2.5 cm thick (about 250 g each) 2Salt ½ tsp

   medium-high heat

2. Lower to medium heat and in the same pot cook the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and bell pepper for 5 min. When the vegetables are soft, stir in the tomato paste, cumin, oregano and merkén and cook 1 minute more, until the paste darkens.

   Add in this stepOnion 1Carrot 1Celery 40 gGarlic cloves 2Red bell pepper ½Tomato paste 1 tbspGround cumin ½ tspDried oregano ½ tspMerkén or smoked paprika ½ tsp

   medium heat

3. Turn up to medium-high heat, pour in the wine and scrape up the brown bits stuck to the bottom with a wooden spoon, letting it bubble for 1 min. Those brown bits are the heart of the broth's flavour.

   Add in this stepDry white wine 80 ml

   medium-high heat

4. Return the beef and its juices, add the water, bay leaves and some salt and bring to the boil on high heat. Skim off the foam, lower to low heat, set the lid ajar and barely simmer for 1 h 30 min, until a fork slides easily into the meat. Skim off fat and foam two or three times along the way.

   Add in this stepWater 1,500 mlBay leaves 1Salt 0.6 tsp

   high heat→low heat

5. Fish out the bay leaves, add the potatoes, squash and corn and simmer on medium heat for 15 min.

   Add in this stepMedium potatoes 2Pumpkin or butternut squash 200 gCorn on the cob, cut into pieces 1

   medium heat

6. Add the green beans, then sprinkle in the chuchoca a little at a time with one hand while stirring constantly with the other so it doesn't lump. Add the remaining salt and cook on medium-low heat for 10 min, stirring now and then so nothing sticks, until the broth is gently thickened and the potatoes are fully tender.

   Add in this stepGreen beans 80 gChuchoca or fine polenta 20 gSalt ½ tsp

   medium-low heat

7. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 5 min, then put one osso buco, potato, chunk of squash and piece of corn in each bowl, ladle over the broth and scatter with cilantro. Scoop the marrow from the bone with a small spoon and stir it into the broth.

   Add in this stepChopped cilantro 5 g