Roasted Marrow Bones

I had someone ask me about roasted bone marrow recently… if I’d eaten it and if I’d be able to make it for them sometime. “Of course,” I answered, “no problem”.

That meant I had to get myself to the butcher straight away to buy some bones (and parsley and capers and shallots) and roast those beef bones and make the salad that’s served with roasted marrow bones. I had done this before, but it was ages ago and I needed to be able to walk the talk.

Bone marrow became a popular item on menus recently with the popularity of the ‘nose to tail’ philosophy of eating all the parts of the animal, including the offal and other bits that might be thrown away. I like the idea of using all of the animal… in theory, anyway… there are a number of parts that I’m not likely to eat, but I do support the idea. And there are lots of nutrients in bone marrow which helps to appease the oog factor of eating this fatty and gelatinous substance.

Here goes.

Get the bones from the butcher. These are beef bones, cut the long way, which makes it very easy to get the marrow out when they’re cooked.

Bones, ready for roasting.

While the bones are in the oven, make the salad.

Parsley, shallot and lemon.

Parsley, shallot and lemon.

Slice the shallots as thinly as you can.

Thinly sliced shallots.

Get the lemons ready for juicing.

Lemons, halved for juicing.

Measure the capers.

Capers.

Mix the lemon juice and olive oil to make the salad dressing.

Make the dressing.

Just before serving, toss the dressing with the parsley, shallots and capers.

Parsley salad.

Here are the roasted bones.

Roasted marrow bones.

Slice some baguette and toast it.

Get some toast.

I have finally found the limit to what utensils I need to have in my kitchen. You can cut the marrow out of the bone with a knife if you do not have a marrow spoon.

Load some of the bone marrow onto the toast.

Top the bone marrow with some of the parsley salad (ps. the salad is lovely without the marrow).

Top with salad.

Tasty!

Here’s the recipe:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/31/dining/311mrex.html?_r=0

Roasted Marrow Bones
Adapted from Fergus Henderson

Time: 20 minutes

8 to 12 center-cut beef or veal marrow bones, 3 inches long, 3 to 4 pounds total
1 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons capers
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Coarse sea salt to taste
At least 4 1/2-inch-thick slices of crusty bread, toasted

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put bones, cut side up, on foil-lined baking sheet or in ovenproof skillet. Cook until marrow is soft and has begun to separate from the bone, about 15 minutes. (Stop before marrow begins to drizzle out.)

2. Meanwhile, combine parsley, shallots and capers in small bowl. Just before bones are ready, whisk together olive oil and lemon juice and drizzle dressing over parsley mixture until leaves are just coated. Put roasted bones, parsley salad, salt and toast on a large plate. To serve, scoop out marrow, spread on toast, sprinkle with salt and top with parsley salad.

Yield: 4 servings.