Slow-Roasted Lamb Shanks
From the Locanda Veneta Restaurant in L.A.
½ cup chopped red onion
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced peeled carrots
3 tbsp chopped thyme
3 tbsp chopped mint
4 large lamb shanks
5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
8 cups chicken stock or broth
½ cup dry red wine
4 juniper berries (optional)
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp butter, room temp
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Spread onions, celery and carrots over bottom of large roasting pan. Rub thyme and mint over lamb shanks; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place lamb shanks; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place lamb shanks atop vegetables. Drizzle 3 tablespoons oil over. Roast uncovered 30 minutes. Pour 1 cup of chicken stock over lamb and vegetables in pan. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Continue to roast uncovered until lamb is very tender and almost falls off bones, adding 1 cup stock to pan every 30 minutes and turning and basting lamb occasionally, about 3 hours longer. Using tongs, transfer lamb to bowl; cover to keep warm.
Transfer vegetables and pan juices to large saucepan; skim fat from surface. Add remaining 1 cup stock, wine, juniper berries if desired and bay leaf to saucepan. Simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors. Strain, pressing on solids to extract as much vegetable pulp and liquid as possible. Return strained liquid to same saucepan; bring to boil. Mix flour and butter to blend in small bowl. Add to saucepan; whisk until sauce thickens slightly and is reduced to 2 cups, about2 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over lamb.