Braised Lamb Shanks with White Beans and Tomatoes

• From: American Lamb Board

Ingredients

• 1 Tbs olive oil

• 4 lamb shanks (about 1 lb each), trimmed of visible fat

• Salt and pepper

• 1 med onion, chopped

• 2 med carrots, peeled and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces

• 2 celery ribs, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces

• 2 Tbs tomato paste

• 1 1/2 Tbs herbs de Provence

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp pepper

• 1/4 cup dry red wine

• 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth

• 1 can diced tomatoes, with juice

• 1 can white beans (great northern or cannellini), drained and rinsed

A wonderful dish to set before any king or queen.

Directions

• In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add oil. Season lamb with salt and pepper. Add to hot oil and cook, browning each side, about 4 minutes per side (if necessary, cook in batches). Remove shanks to a clean plate and set aside.
• Add onion, carrots, celery, tomato paste, herbs de Provence, garlic, salt, and pepper; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add wine, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
• Add broth, tomatoes, and beans; bring mixture to a simmer. Nestle browned lamb shanks into broth mixture; cover and cook until meat is tender and easily falls off the bone, about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, depending on size of shanks.
• Place shanks in individual shallow bowls or plates. Divide vegetables and sauce among bowls.
• Serve with a simple green salad (arugula or mixed greens, dressed with lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil) and whole grain, crusty bread.