Braised Veal Shanks with Chanterelles, Carrots, Chestnuts, and Lardons

Name: Braised Veal Shanks with Chanterelles, Carrots, Chestnuts, and Lardons
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar; 3 to 4 pounds veal shanks, cracked at 2½-inch intervals; 2 tablespoons bitter orange marmalade; Salt and freshly ground pepper; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 5 garlic cloves—3 whole, 2 chopped; 2 cups medium-dry white wine; 1 star anise pod; 1 pound large carrots, cut on the diagonal into pieces 1½ inches thick; Pinch of sugar; 1 jar (8 ounces) roasted chestnuts; 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley; 1 pound chanterelle mushrooms, preferably large, halved; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 3 medium onions, chopped; 3 sprigs of thyme; 2 imported bay leaves; 4 ounces pancetta, sliced ¾ inch thick

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen

By Paula Wolfert

Published 2003

About

My daughter, Leila, who grew up in Morocco and is now a wine consultant, likes to cook tagines and other slow-simmered dishes from her childhood. But after a tasting trip to France, she became interested in French farmhouse dishes. I told her about a delicious dish of veal shanks smothered in carrots, chestnuts, and chanterelles.

Unfortunately, the dish didn't sound very “farmhouse” to her, and she doesn't think that veal is flavorful—or politically correct. My advice was to dispens