Lamb Shanks Italian-Style

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 55 minutes
Ingredients:
2 (about 2 pounds total) lamb shanks
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large sweet onion, sliced
1/2 cup red wine
1 head garlic, separated and peeled (10 to 12 whole cloves)
1 (28 ounces) can chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup water (or more - see instructions)
Cooked pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes
Chopped parsley for garnish

Preparation:

 Rub lamb shanks with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. 
 Heat a heavy Dutch oven. When hot, drizzle a thin layer of olive oil to coat the bottom. Sear the lamb shanks until browned and remove from the pot. 
 To the same pot, add a teaspoon of olive oil and the sliced sweet onions. Toss to coat with the pan drippings. Reduce heat and cover. Sweat the onions until limp but not browned, stirring often. When they are limp, add the wine and cook for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add garlic cloves, tomatoes, and 1/2 cup water. Stir to combine, then return the lamb shanks to the pot. 
 Reduce heat to low and simmer, turning lamb shanks occasionally, for 1-1/2 hours or until tender. Add additional water if the sauce becomes too thick. 
 Serve braised lamb shanks with cooked pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes and sprinkle with parsley. 
 Yield: 2 servings 
 Note: Recipe is easily doubled.