Wine-Braised Veal Osso Buco for Your Seder

Ingredients

• 12 veal Osso Buco slices, cut about 3 cm thick

• 3 onions

• 3 carrots

• 2 celery stalks

• 1 leek (white part)

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1 bottle dry white wine

• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes

• 1/2 cup pitted olives

• 1 head of garlic

• 1 bunch fresh thyme

• Salt and pepper

• A little matzah meal for coating

Instructions

1. Peel the onions and cut them into eighths. Peel the carrots and slice them into thick diagonal pieces. Chop the celery stalks. Slice the white part of the leek into thick rings.

2. Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add all the vegetables, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon.

3. Season the matzah meal with a little salt and pepper. Lightly coat the meat slices with the flour, then shake off any excess.

4. Heat the oil again (add a bit more if needed) and sear the meat for about 3 minutes on each side to seal it. Remove from the pan.

5. Pour one cup of the wine into the pan. Scrape the bottom well with a wooden spoon to release all the flavors, then set aside.

6. In a sturdy baking dish, place half of the sautéed vegetables. Add a few sprigs of thyme, half the sun-dried tomatoes, and half the olives. Cut the head of garlic in half crosswise and add one half to the dish.

7. Arrange the meat slices neatly over the vegetables. Top with the remaining vegetables, tomatoes, olives, garlic, and thyme. Pour over the pan juices and the rest of the wine.

8. Cover the dish with foil and place in a preheated oven at 200°C (390°F). Bake for about 1 hour. Turn the meat over and return to the oven for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the meat is tender.

Passover and the Seder Night

On the seder night, we read the Passover Haggadah and observe its unique commandments: telling the story of the Exodus from Egypt, eating matzah and bitter herbs, and drinking four cups of wine. It is traditionally celebrated with family.

Throughout the entire holiday of Passover, from the 15th to the 21st of Nisan, eating chametz (leavened food) is forbidden. It is also prohibited to own or have any chametz in the home. For this reason, great effort is made before the holiday to clean the house thoroughly.

On the night of the 14th of Nisan, a formal search for chametz is conducted, and the next morning any remaining chametz is burned.

During the seven days of the holiday, matzah is eaten. It is made only from flour and water and must be baked within 18 minutes. Other foods are permitted as long as they have not become leavened.

Matzah is considered spiritually beneficial, associated with healing and strengthening faith. The holiday of Passover commemorates the Exodus from Egypt.