New Orleans is a national tragedy. Even today, eighteen months post-Katrina, there are whole neighborhoods with garbage piled high on every corner, homes left to rot, and lives ripped apart, left unrepaired and ignored. It is shameful, and I still cannot believe this is America. Where did the money go? And why isn’t every single piece of junk hauled out of there? Why are there homes still waiting for repair or rebuilding to happen? You can see it on the news, you can read it in the papers, but until you see it for yourself you cannot possibly believe how bad it really still is down there.

OK, enough seriousness. I spent a day with Sterling Freyou, a fourth-generation Cajun trapper who is seventy-five. He has a different job each month; one month he traps alligator, then he catches redfish. Then crabbing, then shrimping, then trapping nutria . . . He lives in Morgan City and hasn’t left there. Ever. For four generations he has lived off the land; his kids are all educated and moved away, something he is fiercely proud of. It’s also a little sad, he told me, since the family trade dies with him. As I travel around Minnesota and the world at large I meet guys like this all the time. The last bottle of Coca-Cola in the desert. Check out some of the Louisiana pix below.

My southern swing afforded me the opportunity to partake daily in a new ritual for me, eating Zapp's Potato Chips. They are awesome. Crisp and intense, and I bring it up because of all the great blog chat about regional candies . . . what about regional salty snacks??? Any favorites of yours not available here in the Twin Cities? FYI, people looking to buy Cajun foods, I get asked all the time, can find them at Cajun Grocer.

Sterling Freyou, me, and our nutria. Check out the back woods holiday décor shot!

London is swinging. I spent a few nights there last month and was absolutely blown away by the city and the food scene. And the prices. I move around a lot and let me tell you, take out a second mortgage if you are going to visit London anytime soon. What are your faves in Old London Town?

Borough Market is a must. Check out Neal’s Yard cheese shop, Furness Meats, and Roast, my pal Charles Keough’s restaurant perched high above the market. His food is some of the best being cooked in London right now. Ramsay’s Hospital Road eatery is killer; Harrod’s food halls are perhaps the single greatest concentration of foods assembled in one place that I have ever seen. Nobu London was rocking the night I ate there because of the Bond premiere—both Lindsay and Paris were there, along with half of the glitterati who flew in to see the movie. What a scene. Check out all the pix.

Borough Market and Neal's Yard

Roast

Nobu

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FYI, the debut of my new show has been moved up from March 12 to February 26. I am officially starting to get nervous.

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I have received a ton of email asking me if Vincent is still as good as it has always been, or if sales are down, or if the spirit that made the eatery great the first few years it was open is still present so many years past its opening date. I think it is tough to maintain your edge these days, which is why I have so much respect for so many restaurateurs who maintain their level of excellence year in and year out. I have not eaten at Vincent recently, but anyone who has, or who has a thought about maintaining your mojo five years into your run should chime in. Larry D’Amico told me he thinks there are too many seats and not enough customers for the fine-dining restaurants in town—perhaps the increased availability of great seats in great restaurants is hurting places like Vincent? Thoughts?

My pal Lucia Watson made this recipe for me the other day—a breakfast treat that she has been serving in the restaurant for years. It is awesome, and the perfect easy-bake X-mas–morning treat that allows for plenty of time to open gifts. I have made this recipe of Lucia's several times now, subbing leftover roasted vegetables for the spinach, crumbling bacon in it, adding strips of ham or prosciutto to the ramekin, or some grated cheese. No matter what you do to this dish, it still works. and earns rave reviews every time.

Shirred Eggs with Spinach and Croutons
About 1 T. butter for the ramekins
1 c. cream
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 t. fresh thyme, chopped
1 t. chopped rosemary
Salt and pepper

1 c. cubed (crouton-size) bread
2 T. olive oil

1 c. raw washed spinach
4 eggs

Generously butter 2 12-oz. ramekins and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put cream on the stove with half the garlic, half the herbs, and some salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let cook for about 4-5 minutes or until reduced by almost half. Taste the cream, it should be well seasoned. Set aside.

Make the croutons: Toss cubed bread in olive oil, the rest of the garlic, and salt and pepper. Toss thoroughly together. In a hot skillet, fry bread until crispy and browned, about 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning and set aside.

Put about a fistful of the spinach into each buttered ramekin. Break two eggs on top of the spinach. Place half the croutons on top, then ladle cream over to just cover everything. Bake eggs for about 12-15 minutes (depending on how soft you like your eggs) and serve at once. Serves 2.

Here’s something I find so irritating I just have to get it off my chest . . . false advertising, misleading labeling, call it what you will . . . Axel’s Bonfire Grill lists its tortilla soup on their menu as “the best in the Twin Cities.” Pad Thai on Grand does the same with its spring rolls; I got dozens of other examples . . . do you? And most maddening is Andy’s Garage on University Avenue, which continues to bill its burgers as one of the best “according to MSP Mag,” which is not entirely accurate—I should know. All that sort of stuff just bugs me to no end. I guess we live in a world where ‘the truth’ is a gray area. Ugh.

Anyway, here are a few year-end thoughts:

Best New Restaurant . . . Chambers Kitchen. Nothing else even comes close.

Restaurant of the Year . . . La Belle Vie, because it is twice as good as it was in Stillwater and that says a lot. I know that the style of service and price point is not for everyone, but the effort that it takes to get there should be applauded by everyone.

Chef of the Year . . . Alex Roberts, who quietly and without fanfare had his first child and managed to make his restaurant better all at the same time, which says a lot about him as a leader and teacher. Nice job, young fella’ . . . and his grilled wild striped bass on romesco sauce still haunts me five months later.

Best meal I ate locally all year long . . . The night before I left for Morocco, last spring, my wife and I went to Levain and took part in a superb tasting menu that Steven Brown put together for us, and from the mint-cucumber amuse bouche to the last bite of twice-cooked short rib there was not a false note struck. We then went to La Belle Vie for a dessert tasting that Adrienne Odom rolled out (that lady is a genius), and finished the evening waddling home to relieve the babysitter.

Local hero . . . Clancy’s Meats in Linden Hills, for supporting local farms, fostering a sense of community, cooking food that no one else will (stocks, glaces, confit, etc.), curing their own meats and salume, and doing it all because they love their customers, vendors, and the food folks that have made this town the exciting place it is to eat these days.

Best Dessert . . . The passion fruit soufflé at Chambers Kitchen.

What I Am Dreaming About Right Now . . . Isaac’s escarole with anchovies at 112. Yes, it’s a side dish, but I think about it at least once a day . . . Also Scott’s grilled short ribs at 20.21, the spicy chicken at Que Nah, the apple salad at Lurcat, the Morton’s salad, the celery themed dessert at Levain that Steven was making when he was between pastry chefs, the bacalao at I Nonni, the kecap manis marinated and grilled tuna at JP’s, the char siu bao at Jun Bo, the steamed walleye at Shuang Cheng, the fish with pickled vegetables at The Teahouse . . . I need to stop this merry-go-round, I’m famished.

What are your highlights and lowlights of the year?

The Chambers Hotel has transformed its outdoor courtyard “into a winter wonderland,” according to its press release, and smack dab in the middle of it is “a 256-square-foot ice bar in the shape of a giant, luminous ice cube. Guests enter the Ice Chamber through white, translucent sliding doors, and once inside they can belly up to a bar made of solid ice to order a variety of specialty Grey Goose cocktails,” etc., etc. 

The bar itself is “ constructed with more than 12,000 pounds of crystal clear ice, with each block of ice weighing 300 pounds. The entire space literally glows from within thanks to lights frozen into the giant ice cubes, a glittering, crystal chandelier above the bar and candles placed throughout the space.” Apparently there is also dry ice fog and staff decked out in white furry boots and puffy coats . . .

So who is the first local drunk who is going to wander in, have a drink or two too many, get lost in the fog, and not reappear until the ice goes out in the spring? And will the Chambers' crew build an ice house there as well?? Will you one day be able to drop a line and pull a JGV-inspired panko-fried crappie out of the water? This is hysterical.

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News and Notes
I got a note from one of my old sous chefs, David Hahne, who along with his partner, Carlo Macy, went on after Café 1-2-3 days to open Pane Vino Dolce and Cave Vin. Last May he sold his half of the biz and moved to Seattle to open a romantic Italian restaurant. I am generally a pretty out-of-touch guy, but I was surprised that I had not heard this before. Anyone been to either place now that the inmates are running the asylum? David was the rock in those joints. I am shocked with him gone that they are even open. Anyone?

Check out my pal Jimmy’s performance on the Minnesota's Got Talent contest with Louie Anderson.  Click on VOTE NOW, and then vote for JR JOHNSON—he is the best thing on there, but I am biased. I used to work with Jimmy when we were both at FM107 back in the day.

Philip Dorwart sent me an e-mail. I was wondering where he drifted off to after he left Tryg’s. Apparently he has started a consulting and catering business and is also consulting with the Land Stewardship Project to write a business plan to launch a national farming program. A lot of people always ask me where these chefs have gone off to so now you know what I do.

I know, this breaks all the rules, especially the one about frozen desserts in the winter, but for a do-ahead sweet that your guests will go ga-ga for this holiday season, there is no better choice. Try this once before the big day, do it family-style just to see how the freezetime works in your freezer. You will love this dish, the perfect light and easy end to a great meal. Yes, Dolores, there is raw egg in this dish. Be sure to buy fresh eggs, most eggs at big-box stores and discount markets tend to be cheaper because they’re a few days older, not a big deal unless you plan to use them raw or in low temp dishes (hollandaise?). Of course if you are serving this to seniors, little kids, or anyone with a compromised immune system you might want to consider pasteurized eggs.

Frozen Almond Soufflé with Lichee Nuts and Spiced Almonds
6 egg yolks
3/4 c. sugar
2-3/4 c. heavy cream
3 oz. Amaretto
2 T. orange zest

Whip egg yolks and sugar until stiff in a food mixer with a whisk attachment. Whip cream until stiff. Fold cream into eggs. Fold in Amaretto and orange zest. Spatula the mousse into a pastry bag without a tip. Divide into 8 wine glasses. Freeze for 4-6 hours and serve. Can be made a day in advance to this point. Garnish with the following, but should sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving if they are frozen overnight. Makes 8 servings.

Garnish
16 peeled and seeded lichee fruit, or 1 can lichee fruit, drained
1 c. sliced almonds
2 T. butter
2 T. rum
1 T. sugar
2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. ground ginger
2 pinches nutmeg
2 pinches allspice

Place almonds in a small pan and place in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes or so until toasted. Place rum and butter into a sauté pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the nuts and cook for 2-3 minutes until liquid is gone and nuts are glazy. Place the spices, salt, and sugar into a mixing bowl, combine well and add the nuts immediately. Toss to coat, and spill nuts onto a cookie sheet to cool for 20 minutes. Drain lichees and pat dry. Garnish mousses with nuts and lichees and serve.

Tomorrow evening is the first night of Hanukkah. I’m Jewish, but I’m what my people lovingly refer to as a NYC Jew.

Bagels good.
NY Times good.
Woody Allen good.
Temple bad.

Every year, folks ask me what the difference is between Christmas and Hanukkah, and most of the time I have no clue how to address the major issues involved, but thanks to my friend Jim, who got this through our friend Carlos, we all know what the difference is and how to answer. Happy Hanukkah to one and all. And many thanks to the lads for sending the following my way . . .

1. Christmas is one day, same day every year, December 25. Jews also love December 25 since it’s another day off from work. We typically go to movies and then out for Chinese food. Hanukkah is eight days, beginning on the evening of the 24th of Kislev, whenever that falls. No one is ever sure. Jews never know until a non-Jewish friend asks us when Hanukkah starts, forcing us to consult a calendar so we don't look like idiots. We all have the same calendar, provided free (with a donation ) from the World Jewish Congress, the kosher butcher, or the local Sinai Memorial. 

2. Christmas is a major holiday. Hanukkah is also a major holiday with the same theme as most other Jewish holidays: They tried to kill us, we survived, let's eat.

3. There is only one way to spell Christmas. No one can decide how to spell Hanukkah, Chanukah, Chanukkah, Chanukka, Channukah, Hanukah, Hannukah, etc. (Editor's note:  American Heritage Dictionary, by which MSP lives and breathes, says Hanukkah is the correct way to spell it, thus negating all of A. Z.'s originally submitted Chanukahs.)

4. Christmas is a time of great pressure for husbands and boyfriends. Their partners expect special gifts. Jewish men are relieved of that burden. No one expects a diamond ring on Hanukkah. 

5. Christmas brings enormous electric bills (remember Clark Griswold in Xmas Vacation?). Candles are used for Hanukkah. Not only are we spared the electric bills, but we get to feel good about not contributing to the energy crisis. 

6. Christmas carols are beautiful . . . "Silent Night," "Come All Ye Faithful," etc. . . Hanukkah songs are about dreidels made from clay or having a party and dancing the hora. Of course, we are secretly pleased that many of the beautiful carols were composed and written by our tribal brethren. And don't Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond sing them beautifully? 

7. A home preparing for Christmas smells wonderful—the sweet smell of cookies and cakes baking. Happy people are gathered all around in festive moods. A home preparing for Hanukkah smells of oil, potatoes, and onions . . . if you’re lucky, some brisket. The home, as always, is full of loud people all talking at once. 

8. Christian women have fun baking Christmas cookies. Jewish women burn their eyes and cut their hands grating potatoes and onions for latkes on Hanukkah. Another reminder of our suffering through the ages.   

9. Parents deliver gifts to their children during Christmas. Jewish parents have no qualms about withholding a gift on any of the eight nights. 

10. The players in the school Christmas pageant find it easy to pronounce names such as Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. The players in the Hanukkah story are Antiochus, Judah Maccabee, and Matta whatever. No one can spell it or pronounce it. On the plus side, we can tell our friends anything and they believe we are wonderfully versed in our own history. 

11. Many Christians believe in the virgin birth. Jews think, "Yossela, Bubela, snap out of it. Your woman is pregnant, you didn't sleep with her, and now you want to blame G-d? Here's the number of my shrink."   

12. In recent years, Christmas has become more and more commercialized. The same holds true for Hanukkah, which is a minor holiday in comparison to Passover or Yom Kippur. It makes sense. How could we market a major holiday such as Yom Kippur? There’s no celebrating. You spend all day in synagogue, starve yourself for twenty-seven hours, hopefully you become one with your dehydrated soul, you beat your chest and confess your sins . . . a guaranteed good time for you and your family. Tickets a mere $200 per person. Better stick with Hanukkah!

Wales. I want to go back to Wales. From walking the coastal cliffs south of Cardiff to the decrepit castles that are open to the public to crawl through, Wales is starkly beautiful. I found some homemade jams and jellies in Wales at a real farmer's market (one farmer, one table, one roadside corner) and almost every local pub I ate in served phenomenally good food.

The pub pictured is the Horseshoe Inn in Lyttwud Major, a few miles from the beach an hour North of Swansee. The roast of the day is a great choice. I had lamb.

The stones that are pictured across the river of the 1,000-year-old castle are not remnants of the bridge, they were the bridge. Those stones have been there for almost ten centuries providing an alternative to wading through the river. Yes, I made it across just fine.

All these pix were taken on the same day—one of my best days of traveling, one I will always remember fondly. So the question is: Where is your Lyttwud Major? Where is the one spot in an out-of-the-way place (a hip Parisian café doesn't count) that you would love to be in right now?

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Happy birthday, Morton's. My favorite steakhouse in Minneapolis is fifteen tomorrow. Congrats. I think they are serving some free Champagne, but you should call first.

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Taco Bell . . . frightening. The FDA and the health departments around the country are so overwhelmed and underfunded it is a suprise to me that there are not more people getting sick every day. When there is a food-borne pathogen causing such widespread sickness, the government needs to be able to trace the bacterial problem back to its source, so far in this case that has not happened. Inspectors and inspections have fallen in some regions as much as 90 percent over the last few decades according to my friend Eric Schlosser. Things are getting worse, not better. Noro virus on cruise ships, e. coli in spinach, now in scallions . . . and the man in Washington, the guy in charge of getting to the bottom of all this, was the former lobbyist for the beef industry. Makes you wonder . . .

It's Hanukkah time, everyone!!! Here are two of my favorite recipes for this time of year. I kid you not, the pancakes is the best recipe of its kind I have ever tried. For years I used my grandmother’s recipe, until someone else’s bubbe told me to use some mashed potatoes in my recipe . . . Kenahora! What a mitzvah that was! Enjoy.

Potato Pancakes
3 large Russet baking (Idaho) potatoes
3 medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes . . . peeled, cooked, and riced
1 large yellow onion, grated
2 t. sea salt
1/2 t. ground white pepper
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 c. matzoh meal
2 qts. vegetable oil for frying . . . I like to add a cup of rendered chicken fat for flavor

Peel and grate Russet potatoes. Rinse with cold water and drain, gently pressing to relieve excess moisture. Mix half the potatoes with the mashed potatoes. Pulse the other half of the grated potatoes with the onion in work bowl of food processor to form a coarse paste. Do not over work. Combine the two mixtures, season with salt, pepper, eggs, and matzoh meal. If your mixture is too wet, add another tablespoon or so of matzoh meal—remember, you can always run a test batch. In a large skillet over medium heat,  heat enough vegetable oil to come up the sides of the pan 1/3 of an inch. When oil is 350 degrees, or a small pinch of batter instantly sizzles when dropped in, fry small 2- to 3-inch-sized patties in batches until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towel. Sprinkle with sea salt and try serving with apple sauce and sour cream on half the cakes and smoked salmon and crème fraiche on the others.

Almond and Orange Cake with Poached Plum Compote
Serves 6-8.

The Cake
2 c. sliced almonds
12 T. flour
1-1/2  c. sugar
2 T. orange zest
4 eggs

In a food processor, combine 1/3 of the almonds with the flour. Reserve. Combine the remaining almonds and 1/3 of the sugar and pulse well. Reserve. Beat eggs until foamy with an electric beater and add remaining sugar and zest. Beat until light and thick. Beat in the other two mixtures. Pour into a greased and floured 10-inch spring-form pan and bake at 350 for about 50 minutes until cake is done (inserted toothpick withdraws cleanly, etc.). Cool, unmold, and dust with confectioner's sugar and serve with the compote.

Poached Plums with Red Wine and Rum
12 plums, firm and ripe but not mushy, halved
2 cinnamon sticks
3 T. brown sugar
1 T. lemon zest
1 T. orange zest
1 bud star anise
1/4 vanilla bean, split
1/4 c. dark rum
2 c. red wine
6 cloves
1 T. lemon juice
2 c. blueberries and strawberries

Place all ingredients except berries into a 14-inch sauté pan. Add warm water to come up halfway on the plums. Bring to a simmer and continue gently simmering for 10 minutes, turning plums every 5 minutes. Move plums to a serving platter. Reduce sauce until almost glazey. Stir in berries and toss. Pour over plums and chill.

Last week’s Power Tables piece in the WSJ featured a sneak peek at a maitre d's book—at D'Amico Cucina. I think it’s the first time that’s ever been done. Cucina's client list continues to be impressive, as is the lobster gnocchi.

Looking for a cool holiday gift for the food freak in your life? How about a set of recipe binders, organizers, and note cards from the GORGEOUS russell+hazel line? The set includes everything for the stove-bound, design-focused, obsessive menu planner in all of us.

Ferrara Pan Lemon, Apple and Grape Head candies are ridiculous. I have rediscovered their stunningly cheap and artificial deliciousness. What's your guilty pleasure for cheap, nasty candy? Cherry Bings? Are there any regional candies that you long for but can't get here: Goldberg’s Peanut Chews from the mid-Atlantic states, Reed’s hard candies from NYC? Does anyone go to dylanscandybar.com and buy the party baskets or hit groovycandy.com and check out the retro briefcases loaded with candies representative of each decade. Oh, boy, check out the ’70s box.

Who are the five best restaurant chefs in town? You heard me, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty. It's the mspmag.com Chow & Again salute to 2006. First, I look at chefs for their skill level when it comes to putting together a dish. Then I blend in their sense of composition and ability to flawlessly execute the standards, as well as a penchant for innovation. Do they balance?

I want to know your Top 5, my eager blog floggers? Who do you think is the best of the best?

My list includes, in no particular order, the chefs below. Do I have to winnow it down? Who am I missing and why?

Steven Brown at Levain
Doug Flicker at Auriga
Alex Roberts at Alma
Tim McKee at Solera and La Belle Vie
Seth Bixby Daugherty (he's not done yet!) at Cosmos
Filipp Caffari  at I Nonni, Buon Giorno Market (and he has his fingers in Il Vesco Vino)
Jay Sparks at D’Amico and Partners
John Occhiato at D’Amico Cucina
Jack Reibel at Dakota
Vincent Francoual at Vincent
Don Saunders at Fugaise
Scott Pampuch at Corner Table
Lenny Russo when he was at Heartland
Lisa Carlson at Spoonriver
Peter Botcher at Barbette
Lucia Watson at Lucia’s when she is actually there and cooking

Pastry Queens? I'd go with these ladies and one dude for my top 6:

Adrienne Odom at LBV, Carrie Summer at Spoonriver, Leah Henderson at Cucina/Masa, et al., Khan Tran at Auriga, Sherry Yard and her minions at 20.21, and Christopher Szczeniowski at Chambers Kitchen.

Let us know who your five best of the best chefs are and why, then pick two great pastry people and make an all-star team impressive enough to get even me excited, and I'll send the winner a two-year subscription to the magazine and a killer cookbook from my collection. Game on!

My faith has been restored in humankind . . . well, at least in the cured-meat-maven category. Greg and Kristen at Clancy’s in Linden Hills are doing a lot of cool new stuff these days, and OH MY GOD they are making their own pastrami from scratch. It’s big and bold and AMAZING. Go by a pound of it, sliced.

Take it home, wrap it in foil, and pop it in a 300-degree oven for fifteen minutes, then pile it on to two slabs of fresh rye, smear with mustard, and throw another slice of rye on top and you have a meal for two that will make you weep with joy. Next step: convince Greg to cure and smoke whole briskets, not just the flat end, so that he can slice and sell a fattier cut—his is a little too lean for my taste. But I am grateful, very grateful. Check  it out at  4307 Upton Avenue South  in Minneapolis's Linden Hills neighborhood. Phone: 612-926-0222.

Mission American Kitchen and 112 Eatery have expanded their footprints. Everyone serving food in this town that is making people happy wants to make more people happy. And apparently customers like to know that the toughest tables in town are available, at least some of the time. The hardest reservation in town is Mission at lunch and 112 at dinner and in an effort to appease the thundering herds, 112 is adding some cool seating on the second floor above the restaurant, and MAK is adding fifty seats in the IDS atrium right outside the front door. Great news.

Ever hear of Max Brenner? It’s an Israeli chocolate company and my wife’s buddy Val (a global gourma-chocoholic of the first order) says it's out of this world. Apparently they won't take online orders. But they will send it via Fed Ex. If Val says this chocolate is good, it must be amazing. Val S. is the only lawyer I know besides John L. who can debate the merits of Maison du Chocolat and Teuscher with any sense of proportion whatsoever.

I collect dumb press releases and dumb press release bits and pieces. Some of them leave me speechless. The latest missive from Five telling all the national food media about its new chef was expected. What was unexpected was the following:

“Under the direction of executive chef David Parson Capaccioli, Five will be re-emerging as the restaurant to discover great finger food, savor comforting bistro fare, and delight in imaginative tasting menus.  Capaccioli received his Culinary Arts degree from the prestigious New England Culinary Institute and is certified as a sommelier.  He started his career as executive chef of the Sudbury Inn in Bethel, Maine.  Recently, he was chef instructor at the Art Institute of Minneapolis-Culinary Arts School. Capaccioli is a close associate of Vincent Francoual, chef of Vincent-A Restaurant and Capaccioli was the former executive chef of Café Un, Deux, Trois. “

Underlining is mine . . . . if your CV needs to list your close associates what are you trying to say? I am puzzled. I am not trying to pile on here, it’s just that the reference is so useless and I think it is actually a tad demeaning to Capaccioli. He can stand on his own, he has experience and some street cred, we don’t need to be told who his friends are in order to convince us that he has some skills. Strange . . . but like many of us, I can’t wait to eat there and see if this place has gotten it together in the post-Woodman era.

Just the other day I was craving a dish that I only eat in the cool weather months, this hearty ragout, which I serve over pasta, polenta, or spooned over a simple mushroom risotto. If you like, you can even up the number of shanks and use this as an osso buco recipe (don’t strip the bones of the meat), and reserve all the extra sauce that you’ll have for another purpose.

Penne al Sugo (Pasta in a Red Wine and Veal Ragu)
Use 1 to 2 lbs. dry penne pasta, cooked to al dente, and then sautéed in the sauce for a few moments to finish the dish, passing parmesan Reggiano at the table. Serve this with a crisp salad, some fresh fruit, and a nice bottle of wine and you have an easy and elegant weeknight supper for the late fall.

The Sauce
1/4 c. olive oil
5-7 lbs. of meaty veal shanks, (osso buco)
2 large carrots
3 ribs celery
1 jumbo yellow onion
6 garlic cloves
bouquet garni of fresh rosemary, fresh oregano, fresh thyme, fresh bay, and parsley
12 basil leaves
3 c. light, dry red wine
64 oz. whole San Marzano canned tomatoes in their own juices, crushed through a food mill
2 c. rich chicken stock
1 c. water
4 oz. minced pancetta

Place oil in large casserole dish over high heat and brown the veal pieces. While cooking, dice all vegetables and mince garlic. Remove and reserve the veal when browned. Add vegetables and garlic to the pan, sautéeing until glassy. Add bouquet garni and basil. Cook briefly and add wine. Reduce by half. Add the meat back to the pot, along with tomatoes, stock, and water. Bring to a slow boil and lower heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and simmer 2 hours, until meat is fork tender. Remove meat and bones from sauce and reserve. Remove bouquet garni and discard. Reduce sauce at a simmer, uncovered, until sauce is a nice rich consistency. Shred the meat, being sure to save the marrow from the bones. Discard bones and add meat and marrow to sauce. Season with sea salt and ground pepper and serve or cool/freeze.