I bought eight marrow bones at the farmer's market this Saturday, six of which became Sunday dinner. I simply roasted them at 450F for 15 minutes after being brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with green salt (salt food processed with parsley, bay leaf, and thyme) on both ends. The salt forms a crust which helps hold the marrow in the bones when they cook through.
They were served with a parsley leaf salad with shallots and capers and olive-walnut bread toast brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with green salt. To finish the toast, I topped them with roasted garlic.
A vinaigrette of sherry vinegar and olive oil with a half cup of orange juice reduced to one/two tablespoons added a nice citrus component. I ended up grabbing some lemon wedges to supplement the citrus.
To eat this, I just ran a knife along the edge of the marrow and pulled out a tube of marrow, which I then spread on the bread, mixing with the garlic. I then topped it with a heap of the parsley salad and added a squeeze of lemon. It is a divine taste.
I searched online a bit and it turns out it is a standard sort of dish. I had in mind balancing the rich fatty marrow with an acidic component. I also knew that parsley works really well with citrus, so I went that direction. I knew I was going to use toast, so I thought I would make olive walnut bread to highlight the nutty toast. The roasted garlic was in the same direction, but thinking that the sweetness roasted garlic introduces would add another balance to the dish.
Also known as osso buco italian for hollow bone, and my mother's favorite dish. She is definitely my ancestor, little scavenger her. This dish is considered a true delicacy. It usually takes a very long time to prepare.
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