Braised Veal Shanks with Red Wine Sauce

2 cup assorted dried fruits, (prunes, apricot, figs)
1 cup port, (or more to taste)
8 veal shanks, about 12-ounce each, cut 1 1/2 -in. thick
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
salt
freshly ground white pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup finely diced carrot
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1 tbsp garlic
1 tsp thyme
1 cup blanched whole almonds
2 tbsp red wine, (or more to taste)
2 cup stock, up to 4
couscous to serve 8

In a small bowl, marinade the dried fruit, with enough port to cover, overnight.

Dust the shanks with flour. (The simplest way is to pour the flour into a bag and, one by one, place the shanks in the bag, coat with flour, and shake off the excess.) Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large oven-proof roasting pan, heat the olive oil. Brown the shanks on both sides. Do not crowd the pan, browning in batches if necessary.

Add the vegetables, garlic, thyme, almonds, dried fruit and marinating liquid. Pour in the red wine and bring to a boil. Turn the flame to medium and reduce the sauce by half. (The length of time depends upon the size of the pan.)

Pour in enough stock to cover the shanks and bring to a boil. Cover the pan, transfer to the oven, and cook until the shanks are tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove the shanks and keep warm.

Reduce the sauce just until it thickens. Correct seasoning to taste and return the shanks to the pan.

Presentation:
Mound the couscous in the center of each of 8 heated plates. Top with one veal shank and spoon the sauce over, including some almonds and fruit. Serve immediately. Have small forks on hand to scoop out the marrow from the bones.

Serves 8

To prepare ahead:
Follow directions up to presentation; reheat over a low flame when ready to serve. If the sauce thickens too much, thin with a little more stock.