Osso Buco

In a heavy based pan
heat the oil and butter. Sauté the onion, carrot
and celery and season
with the salt and pepper. Push the vegetables
aside and on high heat
brown the meat in the same pan, adding the rosemary, thyme and garlic. Add the tomato puree and then deglaze the pan with the red wine. Reduce the heat and cook for a few minutes until the wine has evaporated then add the tomatoes, stock, bay leaves, star anise
and parsley.

Season as necessary,
cover the pan with a lid, and cook the stew for 3 hours, stirring occasionally and adding more stock or water if necessary. (The shanks need to be covered with liquid for the first 2 hours of cooking). Remove the lid for the last half hour of cooking. The meat must be falling off the bone and the stock will be reduced
to gravy.

Simmer the potatoes in
the stock, water and salt until soft then smash the potatoes roughly in the liquid. With the liquid simmering, whisk in the polenta meal. When this is incorporated, cover the pan with a lid as the polenta may spit.

After 1 minute remove the lid and continue to stir the polenta intermittently with a long handled, wooden spoon for the next 15-20 minutes. The consistency should be similar to porridge, so add a little boiling water if you prefer
a softer polenta.

Meanwhile in a small frying pan heat the oil and butter and caramelize the onion. Add the garlic, season to taste and cook for 3 minutes until aromatic.

When the polenta is
cooked, stir the fried
onions into the polenta, cooking for a further 5 minutes to incorporate the flavours. I increase the heat for 20 seconds or so as I like a bit of smoky flavor in the polenta.