Falso Buco

When Fabio Flagiello joined Chianti Ristorante e Cucina in Hollywood as the new chef, he created an inexpensive, yet glamorous variation on osso buco , using turkey drumsticks instead of veal. “It’s a wonderful thing for those who love the taste and textures of osso buco but can’t afford the high cost of veal,” says Flagiello, who was chef at Hotel Danieli in Italy, and at Capri in Venice, Calif.

At Chianti, the delicious turkey osso buco is served with creamy polenta, but you can also use rice, noodles or orzo for a change of pace.

FABIO’S TURKEY OSSO BUCO (Osso Buco di Tacchino)

4 turkey drumsticks (14 ounces each after trimming)

1/4 cup flour

Salt, pepper

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons dry white wine

1 cup finely chopped carrots

1 cup minced onion

1 cup minced celery

2 cups tomato sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage

2 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon soft butter, optional

Creamy Polenta

Have butcher chop 1/2 inch off meaty end of turkey drumsticks, leaving skin intact. Bone end, leaving 4 to 5 inches of meaty part of turkey with bone in. Season flour to taste with salt and pepper and dredge turkey in flour.

Place 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add turkey and cook until skin is golden-brown and crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and remove turkey from pan. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon white wine over turkey.

Place remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, onion and celery and cook 3 to 5 minutes until tender-crisp. Add remaining 1 tablespoon white wine, tomato sauce, rosemary and sage. Bring to boil, stirring.

Add chicken stock and turkey. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until meat separates from bone. Cooking time depends on size of drumstick. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add softened butter to thicken gravy, if necessary.

To serve, circle each serving plate with Creamy Polenta, place turkey drumstick in center and top with sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

786 calories; 1,458 mg sodium; 191 mg cholesterol; 41 grams fat; 52 grams carbohydrates; 49 grams protein; 1.91 grams fiber.

Creamy Polenta

1 quart water

Salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup cornmeal

Combine water, salt and olive oil in 4-quart saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and slowly stir in cornmeal. Simmer, stirring frequently with wooden spoon, about 40 to 50 minutes, or until polenta is thick and creamy and pulls away from sides of pan. Serve with osso buco. Makes 4 servings.