The basic elements of earthly pleasure haven’t changed since the Persian poet Omar Khayyam wrote those words in the 10^th Century; so each year, on Valentine’s Day, we try to help our readers celebrate love and romance with food, wine, and verse. This year’s recipe is an Italian dish called "Osso Buco". It is a little different, fun to cook, and absolutely delicious! We’ve made this ourselves, so don’t worry about it being too exotic or difficult. If you were raised right, you know that cooking is an expression of love. For a little Valentine extra, we recommend preparing this with someone you love, while sipping a good wine. Preparation time for all the chopping and cooking is approximately 2 ½ hours, but can be extended if you get into it the way we hope you do!

Ingredients: 2 to 3 pounds of Veal Shanks (Harris-Teeter sells them packaged-ask the butcher at your store); 4 T (tablespoons) Olive Oil; 2 T Butter; 1 Red Onion coarsely chopped; 1 Red Bell Pepper coarsely chopped; 3 Carrots peeled and coarsely chopped; 1 Stalk Celery coarsely chopped; 5-6 Cloves Garlic thinly sliced; 1/3 cup Dry Sherry; 1/3 cup Brandy; 1 T Balsamic Vinegar; 2 T Tomato Paste; 1 Sprig Rosemary; 4 Sprigs Thyme; 2 Bay Leaves; 2 cups Chicken (or Beef) Broth. Salt and pepper to taste. You will also need a package of Risotto, some Cheese Cloth, and Cooking Twine.

Preparation: In a large skillet or Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid, add 2 T olive oil over medium high heat. Season shanks with salt and pepper on both sides, then brown them on all sides. When browning is done, remove shanks to a plate, to be added back in later. Reduce heat of skillet to low and add the other 2 T olive oil and the 2 T butter. Put in the onions, peppers, carrots, celery, and garlic. Stir well to coat, then cover. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. This will allow the vegetables to release their juices. Add the sherry, brandy, and the balsamic vinegar. Stir in well, cover again, and let simmer on low for about 6-8 minutes. In the meanwhile, make a bouquet garni by wrapping the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves in cheese cloth and tying with cooking twine. Add this to the simmering vegetables along with the tomato paste. Increase heat to medium high and add the shanks and the chicken or beef broth. Stir well to mix thoroughly with the vegetables. When broth is boiling, reduce heat to low again and cover. Cook for about 1 hour or until veal is "falling off the bone" tender. During this cooking time, make the risotto, using directions on the box. While delicious smells are filling your kitchen, prepare a simple garnish (gremolata) with 2 T Italian parsley, 1 clove minced garlic, ½ teaspoon of grated lemon peel, and 1 T lemon juice. Mix these in a bowl and set aside for sprinkling over individual servings.

Serve: Spoon risotto into shallow dinner bowls, add the osso buco, garnish with gremolata, and enjoy!! This should be one of the best dishes you’ve ever eaten. For a special treat, don’t overlook the marrow in the shank bones. It is the central element of this dish. Finish with tiramisu for dessert and you will remember this Valentine’s day for a long time!

Now, what does Frugal’s suggest for the "flask of wine"? Hey, Valentine’s comes but once a year. If you want to go all out, the number one selection at our house is Allegrini Amarone 1999 ($69.99). Well worth the price, this is a wine you will cherish and remember! Your valentine will love you more for serving this, but if that is too much for your budget, try the 1997 Michelle Chiarlo Barolo ($46.99), or the Ripassa Zenato Valpolicella at $21.99, which are also highly recommended. You can’t put a price on real love, but good wines come in all price levels. If you really can’t afford the other great wines we’ve mentioned, buy the Banfi L’Ardi Regali, a really good "baby Amarone". Our wine guys think this is one of the best buys in the store at $11.99.

And now for the "verse" part of Khayyam’s recipe for joy. Love is definitely the sweetest solace against the world. Although the greatest of poets has been dead for 389 years, no one before or since, in our opinion, has expressed that truth more beautifully than he did in this poem. Happy Valentine’s!

Sonnet 29
William Shakespeare

When, in disgrace with Fortune and men’s eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,
Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven’s gate;
For thy sweet love remember’d such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.