Braised Lamb Shanks

[Xabia Jim]

6 lamb shanks, about 1 1/4 pound each (or you could use 2 or 3 other sections of a lamb leg)

olive oil for searing

2 teaspoons crushed black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
2 quarts chicken vegetable stock
1 bottle of hearty red wine, less a sip to make sure it's good
2 heads garlic, halved crosswise
6 celery stalks, diced chunky
6 carrots, diced chunky
1 large onion, cut in wedges
1 cup thickly sliced mushrooms
6 sprigs fresh rosemary

Cook when your oven is in the 400 degree range (I think you could go lower but you do want it to simmer)

Season the shanks with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Sear the shanks in batches on all sides until golden brown. Put all the shanks in a large high sided oven dish; add the peppercorns, bay leaves, stock, wine, garlic, celery, carrots, onion, and mushrooms. Put the pot in the oven and cook, turning the shanks every 1/2 hour, until the meat is very tender but still on the bone, about 2 hours. (be careful not to overcook as overstewing the meat can dry it out)

Option: Remove the shanks and some vegetables and cover them with foil, keeping warm. Strain the braising liquid into a medium saucepan, degrease carefully, and simmer gently until its flavor is intensified and its volume is reduced by about a third. Serve the shanks with the vegetables and ladle the sauce over the lamb. Use heated plates and have some rosemary potatoes on the side!

Makes 6 hearty servings.

[Bacterium]

...mmmm makes my mouth water, we have a local pub in Adelaide that does the best lamb shanks

....just as well you didn't post pics or I would have dribbled over the keyboard