Veal shank with broad beans and artichokes

Serves 4

This dish is similar to ossobuco, but without the tomato and with the addition of artichokes and broad beans. The salad of pea shoots and purple basil is the perfect accompaniment.

4 slices of veal shank, each of similar size (ask your butcher to prepare)
Sea salt and a little black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and finely sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into chunks
4 sticks of celery, sliced into chunks
4 fresh bay leaves
2 dried red chillies, crumbled
1 bunch of marjoram
10 cloves of garlic, peeled but left whole
1 bottle of dry white wine
8 globe artichokes
500g/1lb broad beans still in their pods

For the gremolata

The zest of one lemon
1 small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, roughly chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled, very finely chopped

Trim the veal shank of any excess fat and season with salt and pepper. Place the oil into a heavy-based pan large enough to hold the meat. Place over a medium to high heat and brown the meat well on both sides, then remove from the pan and set aside. Pour off any excess fat, turn down the heat to low and add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook slowly, stirring every now and then for 20 minutes, then add the bay leaves, chilli, marjoram and garlic. Return the meat to the pan and add the wine.

Place a lid on the pan and cook gently for an hour and a half (with the heat low, the meat becomes so tender that it will fall from the bone). Prepare the artichokes by taking a sharp knife and trimming around the base, removing the tough outer leaves. Now trim the leaves, removing the tougher leaves at their tips, slice in half diagonally, and scoop out the bristly inner core. Add to the veal and cook for a further half an hour. While the artichokes are cooking, pod the broad beans. Boil a pan of salted water and blanch the beans for a minute.

Drain and double-pod to reveal the bright-green, tender little beans within. Add to the pot and cook for a further 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, adjust the seasoning and spoon into bowls.

Top with gremolata: toss together all the ingredients and sprinkle over the veal just before serving.