Osso Buco is a Milanese specialty of cross-cut veal shanks braised with vegetables, wine and broth. This tomato-based version may be served with polenta or mashed potatoes.
Open the Meritage to breathe and pour one glass for the cook, leaving one glass for each of the four people being served. Better have a backup bottle, just in case.
Coat each shank with flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Heat 2 oz (60g) of the butter in pan with oil. Add shanks a few at a time and brown well on all sides; remove from pan. Repeat with remaining shanks.
Add remaining butter to pan, add carrots, onions, and 1 crushed garlic clove. Sauté gently until onions are golden brown. Remove from heat. Transfer vegetables to large ovenproof dish. Carefully pack veal shanks on top of vegetables.
Drain all fat from the pan in which the veal was cooked then add wine, water, crumbled stock cubes, tomatoes and can liquid, basil, thyme, bay leaf and strip of lemon rind. Bring sauce to a boil, mashing tomatoes well, and stirring in brown pieces from pan. Season with salt and pepper and pour sauce over veal shanks. Cover casserole, bake in moderate oven 1 ½ hours or until veal is very tender, stirring occasionally.
Serve over Risotto Milanese and sprinkle with remaining crushed garlic, chopped parsley, and grated lemon rind.