Method

•  For the veal shanks, pat dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture
• Veal shanks will brown better when they are dry
• Season each piece of veal with salt and freshly ground pepper
• Dredge the shanks in flour, shaking off excess
• In a large casserole dish with lid, heat vegetable oil until smoking
• Add the veal to the hot pan and brown all sides, about 3 minutes per side
• Remove and reserve
• In the same pot, add the onion, carrot and celery
• Season with salt at this point to help draw out the moisture from the vegetables
• Saute until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes
• Add the tomato paste and mix well
• Return browned veal to the pan and add the white wine and reduce liquid by half, about 5 minutes
• Add the herbs and 2 cups of the chicken stock and bring to a boil
• Reduce heat to low, cover pan and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is falling off the bone
• Check every 15 minutes, turning the veal and adding more chicken stock as necessary
• The level of cooking liquid should always be about 3/4 the way up the shank
• Serve with creamy mashed potato, or the classic risotto Milanese if feeling adventurous!