Braised Lamb Shanks

Ingredients

• 2  lamb shanks trimmed
• 4 servings salt 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin 
• 1 medium onion yellow chopped
• 2 large carrots chopped
• 2  celery stalks chopped
• 3 medium potatoes cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1  garlic clove minced
• 1.3 cup beef stock 
• 2 teaspoons thyme leaves dried fresh
• 1 teaspoon rosemary dried fresh chopped
• 1 teaspoon oregano dried
• 1  bay leaf 
• 0.8 cup raisins for a couple hours
• 0.5 cup mint leaves fresh

Equipment

• frying pan
• oven
• pot
• stove
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Season lamb shanks with salt.
2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or an oven-proof, thick-bottomed, pot with a tight fitting cover on medium high heat on the stovetop. Working in batches if necessary, brown the lamb shanks in the pot on all sides.
3. Remove shanks to a dish.
4. Sauté the onion, carrot, celery:
5. Add onion, carrot and celery and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often.
6. Add potatoes and cook another 2 minutes.
7. Add the garlic, lamb shanks, and herbs (except for the mint). If using, add the sherry and raisins; bring the sherry to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.
8. Add the stock and bring to a simmer.
9. Remove from heat, cover the pot and bake in the oven for 1 1/2 or 2 hours or until shanks are tender.
10. Strip meat from bones:
11. Remove the shanks, strip the meat from the bones and return the meat to the pan.
12. Serve with fresh mint leaves as garnish.