Osso buco with risotto alla milanese & gremolata

Pat the veal shanks dry with kitchen paper and season well with salt and pepper on both sides. Lightly dredge each shank in flour, shaking off the excess so the coating is thin and even.
Heat olive oil in a heavy casserole or Dutch oven over medium–high heat.
Brown the shanks on all sides until golden, working in batches if necessary so you do not crowd the pan. Remove and set aside.
Lower the heat to medium. In the same pan, add one onion, the carrot, the celery and 2 thirds of your garlic chopped however you'd like (I recomment big chunks). Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft but not browned, about 8–10 minutes.
Add your tomato paste and cook for 1-2mins. Pour in the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to dissolve any browned bits. Let it bubble for 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly. Add the bay leaves, salt, the whole peppercorns and your dried herbs.
Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover the pot with a lid.
Cook on low heat on the stovetop or in a 160 °C oven for about 2h–2h30 hours, until the meat is very tender and almost falling off the bone. Check occasionally and add a little more stock if the liquid reduces too much.

Place the saffron threads in a small cup with 2–3 tbsp of hot stock or water and let them infuse while you start the risotto.
In a wide saucepan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion with a pinch of salt and cook gently until soft and translucent, about 5–7 minutes, without browning.
Add the rice and toast it, stirring continuously, for about 2 minutes until the grains look slightly translucent around the edges.
Pour in the white wine and cook, stirring, until almost fully absorbed.
Begin adding the hot veggie stock, one ladle at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until the liquid is mostly absorbed before adding the next ladle. Maintain a gentle simmer.
After about 10 minutes of cooking, stir in the saffron infusion (threads and liquid). Continue adding stock and stirring.
Cook until the rice is al dente and creamy, about 16–18 minutes total from the time you first added stock. When the rice is just done, remove the pan from the heat. Add the extra butter and grated Parmesan. Stir vigorously to “mantecare” (emulsify) the risotto, adding a spoonful of stock if needed so it flows slowly from a spoon (all’onda).

Combine the chopped parsley, lemon zest and minced garlic in a small bowl with some olive oil.
Mix well and set aside at room temperature; do not refrigerate, so the flavours stay bright.
Just before serving, taste a pinch. If the garlic is very pungent, you can add a little more parsley to balance it.

Spoon a generous portion of risotto alla milanese onto each warm plate, spreading it slightly.
Place a veal shank on top or alongside the risotto, making sure each portion gets some of the marrow bone.
Ladle some of the braising sauce over the meat and around the risotto.
Finish by sprinkling a small spoonful of gremolata over each shank, focusing on the marrow area for maximum flavour.