Osso Buco alla Milanese with Mario Batali's Gremolata

1 cup finely chopped onion
2/3 cup finely chopped carrots
2/3 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Lemon peel cut into strips
6-8 veal shanks cut 2 inches thick
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 (1 pound) can Italian tomatoes, cut up, with juice
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon basil
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs Italian parsley
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Combine onion, carrots, celery butter and garlic in large heavy casserole or Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat for  8-10 minutes. Add 2 strips lemon peel and remove from heat. Dredge veal  pieces in flour, shaking off any excess. Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Brown veal on all sies. Arrange on top of vegetables in casserole or Dutch oven. Tip skillet and draw off nearly all fat with a spoon. Add wine and boil briskly for about 3 minutes., scrapping up any brown bits stuck to the pan. Pour over veal. Add broth, tomatoes and juice, thyme, basil, bay leaves, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The broth should come up to the top of veal pieces. If it does not, add more broth. Bring to a gentle boil. Cover tightly and bake at 350 degrees about 2 hours, carefully turning and basting veal every 20 minutes. Garnish with more strips of lemon peel.  Serve wth Gremolata.

• GREMOLATA
• (Recipe courtesy of Mario Batali)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted under the broiler until dark brown
• Zest of 1 lemon

Mix the parsley, pine nuts and lemon zest loosely in a small bowl. Set aside utnil ready to serve.

Yield: 1/2 cup