BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

These lamb shanks are slow-cooked until the meat is almost falling off the bone. They are delicious paired with roasted baby potatoes.
Ingredients:
• 6 lamb shanks, 1 per person
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil, as needed
• 2 yellow onions, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 cups diced canned tomatoes
• 2 1/2 cups beef stock
• 2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp. minced fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 can of white beans
• 1-2 tbsp of corn starch
• 2 lb. baby new potatoes
• 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

• Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Directions:
Preheat an oven to 400ºF. I cook on the stove top.

Reserve ½ cup beef stock.
Generously season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the 1/4 cup vegetable oil or use Pam cooking spray with less oil. Working in batches, brown the shanks on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a platter. Pour off the excess fat from the pan.

Add the onions, celery and carrots to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are golden and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the wine. Return the pan to medium-high heat and bring the liquid to a simmer, stirring to scrape up the browned bits. Add the tomatoes, stock, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves and lamb shanks and bring to a boil. Cover the pan, transfer to the oven or simmer on stove top and cook until the meat is almost falling off the bone, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The last half hour add the white beans to heat through. Just before serving mix corn starch and the ½ cup of cold beef broth and add to thicken the stew. Simmer for another 5 minutes till thickened.

In a large bowl, stir together the potatoes, olive oil, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Arrange the potatoes on the prepared pan. Roast along side lamb if using the oven, stirring and turning the potatoes occasionally, until tender when pierced with a fork, 35-45 minutes.