MARROWBONE ALLA MILANESE 

Ingredienti per 4 persone:

Four marrowbones	One tuft of parsley
Butter: As much as necessary	One piece of lemon rind
Flour: As much as necessary	A hint of garlic
Salt and Pepper: As much as necessary	Half an anchovy
Dry white wine: As much as necessary	Broth: As much as necessary

Method

The marrowbone comes from the shank of the veal. It is cut into pieces of about 2.5 cm in width. The muscular pulp remains around the bone forming large circular shaped pieces with a hole in the middle. This dish, which originates from Milan, has become widespread throughout Italy, even though the method of preparation differs according to the geographical area. The typical recipe that is outlined here is undoubtedly the best. It is a good idea to have the butcher prepare the marrowbone for you, purchasing one per person.

Take a deep dish, in which the marrowbones may be aligned properly in one layer, and grease it well with butter. Sprinkle the marrowbones with flour and arrange them in the dish, which you will then place on the heat. Brown them, adding salt and pepper, when they are browned sufficiently on one side turn them over continuing to cook them on the other side until they acquire a deep golden colour. Then pour some dry white wine over them, when the wine has been fully absorbed, add some water and cover the dish, leaving them to simmer for over an hour. 

Note that the marrowbone must not break up, but remain rather compact. When the cooking time is almost up, five minutes prior to serving, add a mixture made up of a tuft of parsley, lemon rind, a small amount of garlic and half an anchovy, all ground up together, to the dish. Place the dish back on the heat for a few minutes, turning the marrowbone over delicately so as it may acquire the taste of the mixture, then arrange it in a plate. 

At the end of the cooking time, pour a few spoons of broth or water into the dish, mixing it around with a wooden spoon, add some more butter, and then pour this sauce onto the marrowbones, serve immediately.

THE DISH

This dish is as simple as it is tasty. Marrowbone alla Milanese was once a favourite dish of many a refined palate. Unfortunately, we tend to eat more with our eyes these days, forgetting our palate and therefore loosing the real taste of food and the pleasure of eating, which is one of the most beautiful things life has to offer, alongside love.

WINE ACCOMPANIMENT

This rather delicate dish needs a white wine that will not disguise the delicate taste of the marrowbone. Red wine must be excluded therefore because it would be too much of a contrast with the velvety taste of the shank muscle. 

As we have already mentioned, this dish is well accompanied by a white wine, a quality of wine with a good structure, which would equal that of the marrowbone. We would advise a harmonious, mature, velvety, not bitter, white wine with the correct volume of alcohol, of a good structure, with a neutral and rather persistent taste.

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