Braised Lamb Shanks with Fennel

By LittleValley

The fennel is not cooked with the meat and can easily be omitted. Serve with instant couscous.

Ingredients

• 3 fennel bulbs, tops trimmed and quartered, ends still attached
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 6 lamb shanks
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 head garlic, peeled (about 15 cloves)
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 4 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth

Preparation

Step 1

In a roasting pan, toss the fennel, 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Set aside.

Dry the lamb shanks on paper towels and season with the remaining salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb until golden, 4 to 5 minutes per side. (Do in 2 batches if necessary.) Remove the lamb and set aside.

Heat oven to 400° F. Pour off the excess oil from the Dutch oven. Stir in the onion, garlic, and rosemary. Cook 1minute. Stir in the tomatoes, wine, broth, and lamb. Cover and bring to a boil. Place in oven.

Cook the lamb until it is fork-tender, about 21/2 hours, occasionally basting with the cooking liquid. After 1hour, place the pan of fennel in the oven and roast until tender. Serve with the pan juices.

Keep it: The lamb and fennel can be stored separately in the refrigerator up to 3 days. To freeze (the lamb only; fennel turns mushy when thawed), divide into individual servings with the sauce. Warm in a 375° F oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling. The lamb keeps in the freezer up to 3 months.