Braised Lamb Shanks

• 6 lamb shanks
• 2 cups fresh tomatoes, diced (or 14 oz can, diced with juice)
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 3 large carrots, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 container (28 oz) Stock Options Premium Veal Stock
• 4 oz olive oil

Marinade:

• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 1/2 bunch basil
• 2 tsp chopped lemon peel
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Mix marinade ingredients and rub into shanks. Cover and let marinate in refrigerator overnight. Before cooking, scrape marinade from shanks and reserve. 

Heat 1 oz olive oil in a skillet, sauté onions, carrots, celery, garlic until tender, and reserve. Heat remaining 3 oz oil in braising pot (big enough to hold six shanks) over medium-high heat. Season shanks with salt and pepper, then sear on all sides to a light brown, about 5 minutes total each.  Remove from oil and reserve. 

Preheat oven to 375. Add 4 oz wine to braising pot and deglaze. Then add shanks, vegetables, reserved marinade, remaining wine and Stock Options Premium Veal Stock. Bring to a boil on the stovetop. Remove from heat, cover with foil and transfer to preheated oven to cook for 2 hours. Shanks are done when the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender. Remove shanks from the braising liquid and reduce remaining liquid by half. Serve with rice, risotto, mash potatoes, pasta, couscous, or vegetables.