Braised veal shanks with lemon, parsley and garlic

For Shanks:
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4 veal shanks, about 4 lb total weight, each about 2 inches thick
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup peeled, diced carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
1/3 cup (2 oz/60 g) diced fennel
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons fresh marjoram leaves
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1 1/4 cups peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
1 cup dry Italian white wine
2-3 cups meat stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Risotto with saffron
For Gremolata:
1/2 cup (3/4 oz/20 g) chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons minced lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1. For shanks: Spread the flour on a plate and evenly coat the veal shanks with the flour, shaking off any excess.
2. In a large frying pan or pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. When hot, add the veal shanks and lightly brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the veal shanks from the pan and set aside.
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the onion, carrot, celery and fennel. Saute until the edges of the onion are translucent, 3-4 minutes; do not allow to brown. Add the garlic, marjoram, thyme and bay leaf and stir until blended. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Return the veal to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Raise the heat to high, pour in the wine and deglaze the pan by stirring to dislodge any browned bits from the pan bottom.
4. When the mixture boils, add about 2 cups of the stock; the liquid should reach three-fourths of the way up the sides of the veal shanks. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover partially and simmer, turning the shanks over occasionally. Continue cooking, adding more stock as needed to keep the mixture moist, until the veal is tender when pierced with a fork and there are about 2 cups of liquid and vegetables remaining, about 2 1/2 hours. If there is too much liquid, uncover and boil gently to concentrate the broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. While the stew is cooking, make the risotto.
5. For gremolata: Just before serving, make the gremolata by tossing together the parsley, lemon zest and garlic in a small bowl until evenly mixed.
6. To serve: Discard the bay leaf. Place a mound of risotto on each individual plate. Place 1 veal shank on top of each mound of risotto. Spoon the broth and vegetables on top. Sprinkle with the gremolata and serve immediately.