- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 (1 pound) lamb shanks
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled
- 4 medium carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 4 medium celery ribs, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 (750 milliliter) bottle dry red wine
- 1 cup water
- 3 bay leaves
- 12 peppercorns
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil. Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper and brown them on 3 sides over moderately high heat, about 4 minutes per side. Add the garlic, carrots, celery and onion to the casserole. Add the red wine and boil for 3 minutes. Add the water and bring to a simmer. Add the bay leaves and peppercorns. Cover the casserole tightly and transfer to the oven. Braise the lamb shanks, turning once, for about 1 1/2 hours, or until very tender.
- Transfer the lamb shanks to an ovenproof serving dish. Using a fine sieve, strain the braising liquid into a medium saucepan, pressing on the solids. Boil the braising liquid over high heat until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 20 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and pour about 1/2 cup over the lamb shanks; keep the remaining sauce warm. Cover the lamb shanks with foil and reheat in the oven for about 10 minutes. Serve the lamb shanks with the remaining sauce, the Maple-Glazed Root Vegetables and the Braised Red Cabbage.