Beef shin with lemon and celery risotto
Slow-cooked beef shin is served with a creamy celery risotto brightened with lemon and topped with fresh parsley gremolata. The beef cooks gently until tender, leaving you free to make the risotto shortly before serving.
Ingredients
For the beef shin
- 2 small onions, chopped
- 2 celery sticks, chopped
- 2 leeks, trimmed, washed and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2kg/4lb 8oz beef shin on the bone, cut into 3cm/1¼in-thick slices
- 4 tbsp sunflower oil
- 325g/11½oz tinned plum tomatoes, gently washed free of any sauce and roughly chopped
- 500ml/18fl oz white wine
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 thyme sprig
For the lemon and celery risotto
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 celery head (about 800g/1lb 12oz), heart and leaves finely sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 75g/3oz unsalted butter
- 1 lemon, preferably organic, zest finely grated
- 350g/12oz Carnaroli or arborio rice
- 150ml/5fl oz white wine
- 1.2 litres/2 pints boiling water or chicken stock
- 100g/3½oz Parmesan, freshly grated
- sea salt
For the gremolata
Method
To make the beef shin, season the beef with sea salt. Heat a wide, lidded pan over a medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the sunflower oil. Add the beef in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, for about 8 minutes, until well browned underneath. Turn and brown the other side. Work in batches if necessary so you don’t overcrowd the pan, then transfer the beef to a dish.
Add the remaining oil to the same pan and gently fry the onions, celery, leeks and garlic, covered, for about 20 minutes, until softened and lightly coloured.
Stir in the tomatoes. Pour in the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Add the bay leaves and thyme, then return the beef to the pan and push it gently into the liquid. Add enough water to cover the beef, about 250ml/9fl oz. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over a low heat for about 2 hours, or until the beef is very tender and cooked through.
To make the risotto, put a wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan over a low heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery, olive oil, 25g/1oz of the butter and a pinch of sea salt. Cover and cook gently for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft.
Stir in the rice and cook, stirring, until the rice begins to toast lightly. Up the heat slightly and on hearing the first sizzle, pour in the wine and step back as
the pot restores its quiet dignity. Stir the rice well.Add a ladleful of the water or stock and stir gently. When the liquid has almost been absorbed, add another ladleful. Continue adding the liquid gradually and stirring gently.
After about 15 minutes, when the risotto starts to take on a creamy consistency, begin checking the rice. Add only enough liquid to keep the risotto loose enough to ripple slightly when you shake the pan. The rice is done when the grains still hold their shape but are tender.
Stir in the remaining 50g/1¾oz butter, the lemon zest and Parmesan. Add a little more water or stock if needed to keep the risotto loose, then season with sea salt if needed.
Meanwhile, to make the gremolata, finely chop the parsley leaves, garlic and lemon zest together. Set aside until ready to serve.
Sprinkle the gremolata over the beef just before serving alongside the risotto.
