Lunch is in the Bag

Veal Osso Buco & Polenta

Sitting down to a fabulous lunch at work is the highlight of my day, even if it is just a brief 30 minutes.   When it’s a luxurious meal such as Osso Buco with Polenta, it’s a bonus and puts a big smile on my face.  I may spend a few hours creating a meal like this and then have to go in and spend 8 more hours on my feet, but knowing I have this to look forward to puts a smile on my face when I walk through the doors of the store.

Osso Buco takes hours to braise into a succulent, fork tender piece of meat that is traditionally served with risotto, but I decided to make polenta this time.  It’s usually not my go-to side dish, but the pan juices from the veal gave it needed flavor and depth and this was a lunch that’s tough to beat on a cold winter day.

I’ve got this small enameled cast iron pot by Staub that I’m in love with.  Cast iron is indispensable tool in the kitchen.   When you’re cooking low and slow, it’s important to have a cooking vessel that will cook as evenly as possible a Staub or Le Creuset pot work beautifully.  I’m a Staub fan because of the beautiful jewel tones they come in.  To me, a Staub pot in basil or grenadine remind me of an emerald or ruby gemstone with flavorful goodness inside.

Veal Osso Buco is decadent, but if you want a similar slow cooked piece of meat for less money, try a beef shank.  Key here is the marrow.  Osso Buco is served with a germolata (lemon zest, garlic and bread crumbs), but it can live without that little touch.

What can’t be neglected is the sumptuous marrow. It will show itself as the shank cooks, but take care not to let the marrow melt into the dish by itself.  Have the fun of scooping it out of the bone and spreading on a crispy piece of bread or it or swirling it into the dish as you plunge your fork into the meat.

I’m not sure how many people wake up thinking about an over the top meal like this to carry to lunch.  Hell, my friends think I’m a little out of the norm, but if you have the time, it’s worth the effort.  Treat yourself.  You’re worth it.

What’s the best lunch you’ve ever packed for yourself?  Or what’s your favorite lunch and where?

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In 2007 my career with a large, but shrinking high tech Fortune 50 \"left me,\" leaving a void in my life. While lamenting the loss and flying around the world looking for a new career to get married to, I discovered a way to use a familiar outlet during tough times -- writing. My blog-writing morphed into writing about my favorite past time -- Food! I purchase food, sell food, make food, watch food being made, broadcast meal preparation, photograph and blog about food. Like I said; Food! To change this standard text, you have to enter some information about your self in the Dashboard -> Users -> Your Profile box.

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Tagged as: Braise, Cooking, Dinner, Food, Le Creuset, Lunch, Osso Buco, Polenta, Slow Cook, Staub