Method

• 1.
  Preheat the oven to 170°C.
• 2.
  Place veal in a heavy-based flameproof roasting pan, season and roast for 1 hour or until deep golden. Remove from oven, set aside and reduce oven to 120°C.
• 3.
  Meanwhile, heat sunflower oil in a wok or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes or until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towel.
• 4.
  Transfer veal to a bowl and place veal roasting pan on stovetop over medium heat. Bring veal cooking juices to a simmer. Add port and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until thickened slightly. Add wine and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes or until reduced by half. Return veal to pan with carrot, onion, garlic, peppercorns, thyme, parsley stalks, bay leaf and 3L water or enough water to cover veal.
• 5.
  Transfer veal mixture to oven and roast for 8 hours, checking every 2 hours and topping up with water to cover as required. (Do not skim the fat during this time as it will caramelise and intensify the flavour of the stock.)
• 6.
  Without pressing down on solids, strain stock through a sieve lined with three layers of muslin or a clean Chux cloth into a heatproof bowl. Discard any tough herb stalks and reserve bones separately. Transfer remaining solids (including meat) to a second heatproof bowl with 1/2 cup (125ml) stock. Cover and keep warm.
• 7.
  Transfer remaining stock and reserved bones to a saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil for 12-15 minutes or until reduced by one-quarter, then strain through a fine sieve into another saucepan, discarding bones, and keep warm until needed.
• 8.
  Meanwhile, for the gnocchi, place a steamer over a saucepan of boiling water. Add potatoes, cover and steam for 40 minutes or until tender. Wearing clean kitchen gloves, peel potatoes while hot and pass through a ricer into a bowl or coarsely mash. Add cream, nutmeg, egg and a pinch of salt flakes. In 2 batches, add flour, kneading until just combined. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Stand for 2 minutes to rest, then divide dough into 4 even pieces and roll each piece into a 2cm-thick log. Slice logs into 2cm-long gnocchi and press lightly with a floured fork (gnocchi can be stored, covered and chilled, for up to 12 hours, or frozen for up to 3 months). Cook gnocchi in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 3 minutes (or 2 minutes from when they float to the top) or until cooked through. Strain the gnocchi and toss with olive oil.
• 9.
  Divide gnocchi among serving bowls. Top with warmed veal shank mixture and reduced veal stock (store remaining stock, covered and chilled, for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months). Drizzle with extra oil and scatter with parmesan and parsley to serve.