This is a great meal for fall or winter. I tend to pair it with Broccoli Raab if I can find it, and wild mushroom risotto.

• 6 T olive oil
• 4-6 lamb or veal shanks – traditional is veal, I’ve had good luck with both
• salt and pepper
• 1 lb of fresh mushrooms – a mix of whatever is available – crimini, shiitake, chanterelle, wood ear, lions head, porcini, the more the merrier, rough chopped
• a few oz of dried mushrooms – porcini, etc
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup each of diced carrot and celery
• garlic minced
• a bay leaf or two
• 2 cups dry red or white wine
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 3 cups or a can of of chopped tomatoes depending on season
• couple of Ts of fresh basil
• couple of Ts of fresh oregano
• Coriander, cumin, other spices to taste

Ideally use a nice dutch oven or something similar . I’ve got a le Creuset dutch oven that I use all the time for various recipes and will last a lifetime, well worth it and it is one of the tools of the kitchen I highly recommend.

Heat the oven to 300 degrees, and get a burner up to med high with the dutch oven or oven proof pot.
Add some olive oil – a few tablespoons.
Season the shanks with salt and pepper, brown them on each side, 10 mins or so and then pull them out.
Add the mushrooms and saute them for a few minutes to pull out the moisture on the stove top, add some salt and pepper. Around 5 mins and pull them off.

Dried mushrooms are a great addition – heat up a cup of water to boiling in the microwave, add some dried mushrooms and let them sit for 1/2hr, strain out the mushrooms, and use the mushroom water along with the broth, strained while you make the dish.

Add some more olive oil, put in the garlic for a minute, until slightly browned, then put in the onion, carrot and celery. Cook til translucent, 7 or 8 minutes.
Put in the wine and bay leaf, bring to a boil, reduce by half or until you don’t get alcohol on the nose while smelling it, but just savory hints of the wine. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, bring it to a boil.

Add the shanks, salt and pepper to taste. And then place it in the oven to braise for around 3 hours. It will be done when it’s falling off the bone. This is mostly a one pot dish and surprisingly easy, but impressive and great for cold days.