Braised Lamb Shanks

Ingredients

• 2 lamb shanks, trimmed of excess fat
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin 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 chicken or beef stock
• 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
• 3/4 cup raisins, soaked in 1/2 cup sherry for a couple hours
• 1/2 cup of fresh mint leaves

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Sprinkle the lamb shanks with salt. Warm the oil on the stovetop in a Dutch oven, or another heavy oven-safe pot with a snug lid, over medium high heat. Brown the lamb shanks all over, doing this in batches if your pot needs the space, then transfer them to a dish.
2. Add the onion, carrot and celery to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Stir in the potatoes and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the garlic, the lamb shanks, and all the herbs except the mint. If you are using the sherry and raisins, add them now, bring the sherry to a boil, and let it cook for 2 minutes.
4. Pour in the stock and bring everything to a simmer. Take the pot off the heat, cover it, and move it to the oven. Bake for 1 1/2 or 2 hours, until the shanks are tender.
5. Take out the shanks, pull the meat from the bones, and add the meat back to the pan. Serve garnished with fresh mint leaves.