Lamb

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Pat the meat dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a largestockpot or Dutch oven over high heat. Sear the shanks well until deep brown on all sides, in batches if necessary, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

2. Lower the heat to medium and add remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add onions, carrot, and celery; cook 4 or 5 minutes, then add garlic, stir well, and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine, vinegar, and sugar, scraping up any browned bits from thebottom of the pan and stirring until sugar is dissolved. Return shanks to the pan with any accumulated juices. Shanks should be covered with liquid; add water if needed to fully submerge. Cover pan and bake for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Turn the shanks halfway through cooking. Meat should be very tender andeasy to pull away from the bone.

3. Transfer lamb shanks to a serving plate and tent with foil. Skim and discard any fat from the top of the liquid in the pot. Place the pot on the stove over high heat and bring to a boil, reducing the liquid by half, 20 to25 minutes.

4. Spoon reduced sauce over the shanks. Serve warm with noodles or rice to absorb thesauce.

Source: Hannaford fresh Magazine, September - October 2011