Pork Osso Buco
I have a memory of my neighborhood butcher (yes, we had one where I was growing up in Midtown Manhattan!). His name was Rudy. Rudy would come over, give the meat to my mother, and sit in her kitchen sipping coffee while she cooked. I think back on these memories and wonder if my mom didn’t half see her home kitchen as a part-time restaurant for people to sit in. This is such an opulent dish and takes a long time to cook, but the meat brings so much richness to the sauce. There is no better dish for a belly-warming meal. We had it only on special occasions and it is traditionally served with risotto. It is traditionally made with veal, but pork is just as flavorful and more affordable. You can serve with sautéed spinach or crusty bread and let people soak up the sauce as they eat. Honestly, I love it with steamed jasmine rice or basmati rice pilaf on the side. Spinach is so lean and clean. I am always adding cheese or something else rich to round it out. While I like spinach salads enough, I really love the taste of spinach with something significant like osso buco.
