Some Italian Comfort Food on a Cold Wet Night

[hikerman]

I wasn't going to post this, but it was so d@#¤ good I thought I'd throw a pic out.
I got a new 7 qt Dutch oven recently, so I wanted to take it on a test run, and with the weather getting cold and wet, we needed some  comfort food. Osso buco over polenta is IMO the most ultimate comfort food. With a little bread and some vino made for a satisfying meal.

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[teesquare]

Osso Bucco is one of my favorite meals Gene. Your looks "melt in your mouth"....Do you have a recipe that you prefer? The one that I have is from Giada De Laurentis.

[tomcrete1]

Great Post! Looks Great!

[Smokin Don]

Looks good Gene but you are in the USA so you had it over GRITS!!! :0 Don

[HighOnSmoke]

Looks delicious Gene!

[Savannahsmoker]

Hmmm, looks like another Comfort Food Master to add to Don.
Nice.

[hikerman]

Osso Bucco is one of my favorite meals Gene. Your looks "melt in your mouth"....Do you have a recipe that you prefer? The one that I have is from Giada De Laurentis.

All versions are pretty tasty Tim. But I don't rely on a recipe per se other than rough cook time. Whatever is on hand or sounds good is what happens.
This version had about a C of carrots, onion, celery, finely diced. Plus 4 lg cloves garlic chopped. For spunk there's also a jalapeno in there and about a C good red wine and a C beef broth. I had this dish in an excellent restaurant in Phoenix with a Southwest approach years ago, and I tend to lean that way now in my versions. I love a good hint of heat with the thick comfort flavor.

[hikerman]

Looks good Gene but you are in the USA so you had it over GRITS!!! :0 Don

Yep proud to be here Don but even tho grits and polenta are similar they are made from two entirely different strains of corn. Grits sre made from "dent corn" or field corn, which lends a mushy texture. Polenta comes from flint corn which lends a thicker texture. In a pinch tho either can be substituted for the other. I generally have both types but they are very different, like lager and stout are both beers, but they couldn't be any more different.

[TMB]

Seeing the title I new this was going to be good;)

[RG]

I know this sounds crazy but I don't recall ever eating that dish. After seeing that picture, that is sure to change!

[Pappymn]

That looks fantastic

[teesquare]

I know this sounds crazy but I don't recall ever eating that dish. After seeing that picture, that is sure to change!

Checkout this as a "starter" recipe:  http://www.giadadelaurentiis.com/recipes/71/lamb-ossobuco

I use big ole' beef shanks - but custom it to your tastes. I like Gene's ideas

[Smokin Don]

Looks good Gene but you are in the USA so you had it over GRITS!!! :0 Don

Yep proud to be here Don but even tho grits and polenta are similar they are made from two entirely different strains of corn. Grits sre made from "dent corn" or field corn, which lends a mushy texture. Polenta comes from flint corn which lends a thicker texture. In a pinch tho either can be substituted for the other. I generally have both types but they are very different, like lager and stout are both beers, but they couldn't be any more different.

Thanks for reminding me Gene, I had forgotten about dent and flint corn. What I read was in Italy most of the corn grown is flint and has a harder outer shell than our dent corn. Where do you buy your polenta; all I see on Amazon does not say it’s made from flint corn. From what I tried locally was already cooked in a tube and I don’t note much difference taste wise, just texture. But then I am sure my taste buds have been weakened by years of smoking.

My favorite is grits and I get a mix of coarse ground white and yellow by Palmetto Farms sold on Amazon.
 Don

[smokeasaurus]

Seeing the title I new this was going to be good;)

X2

[hikerman]

Looks good Gene but you are in the USA so you had it over GRITS!!! :0 Don

Yep proud to be here Don but even tho grits and polenta are similar they are made from two entirely different strains of corn. Grits sre made from "dent corn" or field corn, which lends a mushy texture. Polenta comes from flint corn which lends a thicker texture. In a pinch tho either can be substituted for the other. I generally have both types but they are very different, like lager and stout are both beers, but they couldn't be any more different.

Thanks for reminding me Gene, I had forgotten about dent and flint corn. What I read was in Italy most of the corn grown is flint and has a harder outer shell than our dent corn. Where do you buy your polenta; all I see on Amazon does not say it’s made from flint corn. From what I tried locally was already cooked in a tube and I don’t note much difference taste wise, just texture. But then I am sure my taste buds have been weakened by years of smoking.

My favorite is grits and I get a mix of coarse ground white and yellow by Palmetto Farms sold on Amazon.
 Don

Don my two favorites are Anson Mills from S. Carolina, and Moretti (imported) I find this at an Italian grocery near my brother's house, Caputo's. I stock up when visiting.  When I'm out of those two Bob's Red Mill can be found pretty easily, and it's pretty good.