Food aversions have been a topic of conversation around French Fridays with Dorie before. It seems that most of us have a few of them lingering from childhood and I am hardly an exception, mine just seem to be a bit less common perhaps than others. For example, I have no problem with coconut or the dreaded liver and I’m generally indifferent to bell peppers. However, my little nose has been known to turn up at the sight of cooked carrots and any form of cured or preserved fish. Over the course of 4 years of cooking along with this group I have been introduced to some fabulous new flavors and come to accept a few which I hadn’t particularly appreciated before. In fact, of all the meals we have made for friends over the years, the one which we are most often asked for a copy of is the Salmon in a Jar recipe!
At the same time, I have also reconfirmed some previously held dislikes, and stewed meat is one of them. With few exceptions, this may well have been my least favorite section of the book. My husband on the other hand loves stew in seemingly all its forms and has delighted that I have had a reason to make it for him. He’d better soak it up now because most of these have gone into my “once was enough” category and I don’t think that we have too many more to do.
Which brings us to this week’s recipe, Osso Buco a l’Arman. Dorie writes that the traditional accompaniment for osso buco is saffron risotto. Who am I to argue with tradition? Besides, it’s ben an awfully long while since I’ve made risotto and it gave me something to do while the main was loitering in the oven. Our resulting meal was delicious. I enjoyed the sauce with my risotto, my husband loved the osso buco and commented on it several times as being “really good!” and we both thought that the gremolata was a nice touch.
So who knows, maybe I’ll make it again for him one of these after all. It’s a relatively inexpensive cut of meat around here and not all that difficult to make. But not soon.
one expat's life 
Oooh, I should have made risotto! What a terrific pairing!
I share your stew meat aversion, though I’ve had much better success with Dorie’s recipes than with other stew recipes. This osso buco and her pot roast with pasta recipes are my favorites from this section, and I love them both enough to make them again and again. Other stews–not so much. That saffron risotto sounds awesome. I want some. Right now.
I definitely need to try this with risotto! Looks great. And look at you working your way through all your food aversions!!
Salmon in a jar? Wow, I would never have guessed that one!
The risotto sounds delicious. At least you were each able to find a piece of the meal that worked for you.
I totally have both the coconut and liver aversions – with a few others thrown in just for fun 🙂
I love coconut and liver, but Salmon in a Jar, not so much! Gremolata is probably my favorite takeaway from Around My French Table!
Your risotto looks like the perfect match. It is funny how we all have our likes and dislikes, and what lengths we got to so we can still participate. I just skip salmon all together unless I can substitute another fish for it.
Oooo, I love risotto…a great pairing with the Osso Buco!
I don’t mind coconut or liver, but I couldn’t even bring myself to make the salmon in a jar…raw fish…big time food aversion! Happy Friday, Rose!
I am going to make risotto next time. Yum!
I made risotto too. I loved the pairing with the stew. It is fun to learn about everyone’s different food aversions. As a group, we love everything and hate everything at the same time. Nice bowl. I love those Polish ceramic patterns.
OMG, I forgot about that salmon recipe. I do love risotto and that is a perfect pairing.
Everything looks wonderful.
So funny for me the only way I like beef or veal is stewed. But I agree the sauce was the most delicious part.
LOL – I wish it was cheap here. You have sold me on Salmon in a Jar – that is the only recipe I have refused to make so far.
Mmmm, risotto! I will definitely try that next time. As for the aversions, isn’t it funny the random things? I am not a fan of cooked carrots, at all. I’ll choke them down in soup/stew, but forget it otherwise. I can see how stewed meat is problematic as well. Anyway, I love the photo of the finished dish: I bet the creaminess of the risotto was a lovely contrast with the osso buco!
I spied your risotto and thought about making some too but my lazy side took over yesterday and I ended up with plan old white rice. I almost feel bad about “outsourcing” my salmon and potatoes in a jar post. 🙂
Risotto is something I have not made yet. We are not big on beef dishes in our house either. I have yet to make those eclairs but I will.
Oh, saffron risotto sounds wonderful with this. I made Dorie’s orange rice from the bonne idée and it was really good. Our group’s various food aversions would make a funny index for the cookbook, with categories like “raisin-free” and “no fish here.”
I haven’t made risotto for so long and never, saffron risotto. In my family, we make saffron bread during the holidays. It’s very yellow and loaded with raisins. It’s an acquired taste but we all love it. So, anything saffron works for me. We all have food fettishs. I don’t like cooked carrots myself but I did love the double carrot sauce with the fish two weeks ago. You all seem to have hit upon a good compromise with your meal.
Oh, risotto would have been so lovely with this. I thought the gremolata was a real winner too! Funny, I really don’t care too much for cooked carrots either but tolerate them!