Rafed English
site.site_name : Rafed English

Ingredients

    2 Lamb shanks
    Salt
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    1 medium yellow onion, chopped
    2 large carrots, chopped
    2 celery stalks, chopped
    3-4 medium potatoes, cut into 2-inch chunks
    1 garlic clove, minced
    1 1/4 cup stock or boiling water with a bullion cube
    2 teaspoons fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
    1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
    1 teaspoon dried oregano
    1 bay leaf

Optional, and highly recommended:

    3/4 cup raisins, soaked in 1/2 cup sherry for a couple hours
    1/2 cup of fresh mint leaves

Method

1 Preheat oven to 350° F. Season lamb shanks with salt. Heat a Dutch oven or an oven-proof, thick-bottomed, pot with a tight fitting cover on medium high heat on the stovetop. Add the olive oil and brown the lamb shanks in the casserole pan on all sides. Remove shanks to a dish.

2 Add onion, carrot and celery and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add potatoes and cook another 2 minutes. 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.

3 Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, cover the pot and bake in the oven for 1 1/2 or 2 hours or until shanks are tender.

4 Remove the shanks, strip the meat from the bones and return the meat to the pan.

Serve with fresh mint leaves as garnish.

Yield: Serves 4.