Lamb Shanks On Lentil-Spinach Ragoût

Ingredients

• 2  bay leaves 
• 0.5 cup beef broth 
• 28 ounce canned tomatoes diced undrained canned
• 4  carrots sliced
• 2  celery stalks sliced
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard 
• 1.5 teaspoons rosemary leaves dried
• 1 cup cooking wine dry red
• 10 ounce pkt spinach frozen thawed drained chopped
• 6 pound lamb shanks trimmed
• 38 ounce lentil soup canned (such as Progresso)
• 1 cup onion chopped
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper 
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 3 slices center-cut bacon 
• 0.8 cup sacremento tomato juice 

Equipment

• frying pan
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Sprinkle lamb with pepper and salt.
2. Heat an extra-large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
3. Add half of lamb; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned.
4. Remove from pan; set aside. Repeat with remaining lamb. Reduce heat to medium; add onion and next 4 ingredients. Cook 5 minutes, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
5. Add tomatoes, rosemary, and bay leaves. Return lamb to pan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours or until lamb is tender; discard bay leaves and liquid.
6. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp.
7. Remove bacon from pan, and crumble. Discard pan drippings.
8. Add bacon, soup, and remaining 3 ingredients to pan. Simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Serve lamb shanks on a bed of lentil ragot.
10. NOTE: The discarded remaining braising liquid can be used to make a delicious soup; just skim the fat first.