Lamb Shanks Braised with Rosemary and Thyme

Preheat an oven to 400ºF.

Generously season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Working in batches, brown the shanks on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes total, adding more oil to the pan if needed. Transfer to a platter. Pour off the excess fat from the pan.

Add the onions, celery and carrots to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the wine. Return the pan to medium-high heat and bring the liquid to a simmer, stirring to scrape up the browned bits. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, the stock, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves and shanks and bring to a boil. Cover the pan, transfer to the oven and cook until the meat is almost falling off the bone, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Using tongs, transfer the shanks to a large serving bowl and cover loosely with aluminum foil.

Remove the bay leaves from the sauce and discard. Skim the fat off the sauce. Using an immersion blender, puree the sauce until smooth. Pour some of the sauce over the shanks and garnish with parsley. Pass the remaining sauce alongside. Serves 6.