SASSI in North Scottsdale is ending the season on a high note. Executive Chef Christopher Nicosia hosts the restaurant’s final Summer Food and Wine Series event on Wednesday, Sept. 11. Chef will teach the Introduction to Cucina Enoteca. He will demonstrate Cucina Enoteca, or food of the wine repository, featuring small plates from the Wine Bar at SASSI including olives, fried cheese, marinated vegetables,stuffed paccheri and wines from Veneto: Pinot Grigio, Carmenere, Valpolicella Ripasso. The class starts at 6 p.m. and is $49 per person, including eats, drinks and demo. To get your taste buds jazzed now, try this recipe from the SASSI kitchen.
Kurobuta Pork Osso Buco, serves 4
4 each kurobuta pork osso buco cut to 3″, 12-14 oz each
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
1/2 C carrot, small dice
1/2 C fennel bulb, small dice
1/2 C yellow onion, small dice
3 T garlic, sliced
2 C porcini mushrooms
2 C dry marsala
2 C canned whole Italian tomatoes, crushed
1 tsp. chile flakes
3 each rosemary sprigs 3″ long
2 each bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
FOR THE SIDE:
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. garlic, sliced
2 T fresno chiles. Sliced
2 C cannellini beans, cooked
4 C kale, washed
4 tsp. fresh horseradish, grated
4 tsp. orange olive oil
This dish is ideally made a day or two in advance.
Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a heavy oven proof stock pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Season the osso buco liberally with salt and pepper, and add to pot. Sear on all sides until well browned, and remove from pan. Drain oil and add carrot, fennel, onions, and garlic, and saute until soft. Add porcini and marsala and bring to a boil. Add tomatoes and chile flakes and adjust seasoning. Add the browned osso buco, rosemary, and bay leaf to the pot. Cover and place in pre-heated 300 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and let rest for at least 1 hour before reheating to serve.
For the side:
Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and fresno chiles and cook until soft. Add cannellini beans and toss. Add kale, and season with salt and pepper. Continue to toss until kale is wilted
To serve:
Divide kale and cannellini between four bowls. Top each with pork osso buco. Ladle a generous scoop of cooking liquid over pork, be sure to get some porcini into each bowl. Top each with freshly grated horseradish and orange olive oil.
Recipe: SASSI’s Kurobuta Pork Osso Buco
