Slow-Cooked Veal with Winter Vegetables

Veal shank is usually a tough cut of meat. But after cooking it several hours in a slow cooker, you'll be surprised at how tender it can be. Serve over creamed potatoes.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4  (10- to 12-ounce) veal shanks
• 1/2  cup  white wine
• 3  tablespoons  butter
• 2  teaspoons  salt, divided
• 24  pearl onions, fresh or frozen, blanched (see Note, below)
• 4  garlic cloves
• 2  medium carrots, quartered
• 2  parsnips, cut into eighths
• 2  large turnips, peeled and quartered
• 2  leeks, halved and cut crosswise
• 2  celery ribs, chopped
• 1  fresh thyme sprig
• 1  fresh rosemary sprig
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground pepper

Preparation

1. Place shanks, wine, and 1 cup water in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced by one-third.

2. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat until butter is foamy. Transfer shanks to skillet, reserving wine mixture, and reduce heat to low. Cook shanks 10 minutes, turning once, until meat is browned.

3. Remove shanks from skillet, and place in slow cooker; sprinkle shanks evenly with 1 teaspoon salt. Deglaze skillet by adding reserved wine mixture and stirring to loosen particles from pan.

4. Pour wine mixture over meat; add pearl onions and next 8 ingredients. Season with pepper and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Cook on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours or until tender.

Note: To blanch is to plunge briefly into boiling water, then into cold water to stop the cooking process.