The last time Sarah Leah Chase passed through Portland, she kindly dropped off a copy of her “New England Open-House Cookbook” as a welcome gift to Maine! She is the absolute best! I was, unfortunately, out of town, but one of these days we’ll finally meet.
Whenever I get a new cookbook, I sit down and read it cover to cover like a novel, marking all the recipes I want to make with Post-it notes—and this one was PACKED with selections.
I was most intrigued by this Chicken Thigh Osso Buco. Osso Buco is one of my favorite dishes, but with the veal shanks needed costing $100+, I rarely make this at home.
Sarah’s clever adaptation swaps out the shanks for more accessible chicken thighs. The dish maintains the essence of osso buco’s rich flavors: golden-brown meat seared then braised with leeks, carrots, onions, garlic, tomatoes, white wine, and broth until fall-off-the-bone tender.
Served over rice, a bright gremolata of parsley, lemon zest, garlic, Parmesan, and pine nuts cuts through the richness. It’s the perfect hearty dish to get us through this arctic blast!
A number of you have mentioned that you adore this cookbook; any must-make recipes?
Book: New England Open House Cookbook, page 182
Rating: 5/5
How Easy Is That: Easy
Store-Bought Is Fine: chicken stock
Pricey Ingredients: —
Hard-to-find: —
Recipe not online.
