Dill and broad bean rice with veal

Serves 6-8 Starters and mains

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Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°f/ Gas 6.

Gently rinse the rice 4-5 times in lukewarm water to remove the starch. Soak the rice in a bowl filled with enough lukewarm water to cover. Add 2tbsp salt and let stand for 2-4 hours. In a large saucepan, boil 3 litres water with the remaining 2 tbsp salt. Drain the soaked rice and add to the boiling water, keeping the rice fast-boiling at a high heat and making sure the grains are floating freely in the pan. Stir once or twice. let boil for 5-10 minutes. Strain the rice in a large colander, rinsing it once with lukewarm water.

Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7. Using a pestle and mortar grind the saffron into a powder and dissolve in 100ml warm water. Place the osso bucco and sliced onion in a casserole and simmer over a moderate heat in a little oil. After 10 minutes add the cubed veal and all the spices including 2tbsp liquid saffron. Add 125ml water and the verjuice and cook for another 20 minutes with the lid on. In the meantime you can start skinning the broad beans.

Remove the osso bucco from the stew and continue to simmer the cubed veal until soft. Allow the liquid to become a thick sauce and remove from the heat. Place 2tbsp of oil and 1tbsp of butter into a 3-litre casserole. Add 2tbsp liquid saffron. Gently, spoon by spoon put a third of the strained rice onto the oil mixture. Top the rice with half the broad beans, half the dried dill and half the bunch of fresh dill. Now add the veal including the sauce. Follow with a third of the rice, remaining broad beans and dry dill and the other half of the fresh dill. Finish off with the rest of the rice and one whole bunch fresh dill.

Put the casserole into the oven and bake for 45 minutes with the lid on. Blend the remaining butter and saffron together and melt in a small pan. Pour over the rice and bake for another 5 minutes.