Braised Lamb Shanks! Easy, Delicious Meal

Well, I have been hankering for lamb shanks for I don't know how long. FINALLY, I picked up a couple at the grocery store. They were nice and meaty. Here's what I did.

RECIPE:
2-Lamb Shanks
1-Medium Onion - medium dice
3-Celery Stalks - medium dice
2-Carrots - medium dice
5-Cloves Garlic - sliced
2-Sprigs fresh Rosemary
3-4-Bay Leaves
1-Small Tomato Paste
1/4C-Balsamic Vinegar
4-6C-Chicken Broth
Garlic Powder
2Tbl-Olive oil (I use Extra Virgin)
Salt
Pepper

STEPS:

1. Season the lamb shanks with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
2. Heat a dutch oven to medium and cover bottom with olive oil.
3. When you can see the oil swirling brown lamb shanks on all sides. This will take at least 5 minutes. Make sure you get a good crust on them! Remove shanks to a separate plate until done.
4. Add olive oil if necessary, otherwise add onion, celery and carrots to pot and saute' until soft.
5. Make a "hole" in the veg and add garlic. Cook until just turning golden then mix into veg.
6. Add tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes. The color will start to go to brown, sort of.
7. Add Balsamic vinegar and cook 1 minute.
8. Add half of chicken broth and stir until you have a homogeneous mixture.
9. Add rosemary and bay leaves. Mix in.
10. Add lamb shanks and any juices in the plate.
11. Add chicken broth, if necessary, until liquid is half to 3/4's way up shanks.
12. Turn heat to high and bring to boil, then reduce to low and cover.
13. Cook for 1 hour and check shanks for tenderness. 

Two lamb shanks took about 1 hour 10 minutes to be "fall off the bone" tender.

The sauce will go great with rice.

I made Israeli couscous with raisins. Went very well. 

Enjoy!