Estimated Nutrition

Per serving

Ingredients & Substitutes

Instructions

1. 1

   Carefully pat dry 700 grams of lamb shanks with paper towels and season them generously with 1 teaspoon of sea salt and 0.5 teaspoon of black pepper. In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the seasoned lamb shanks for 4-5 minutes on each side until deeply browned, then remove the lamb shanks and set them aside.

2. 2

   To the same pot, add 1 finely diced yellow onion, 1 finely diced carrot, and 1 finely diced celery stalk, sautéing them for 8 minutes until softened. Deglaze the pot with 0.5 cup of dry red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, and reduce it slightly for 2 minutes.

3. 3

   Return the seared lamb shanks to the pot, pour in 2 cups of hot vegetable broth and 1 cup of crushed canned tomatoes, ensuring the shanks are mostly submerged. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low, braising for 2.5 hours, or until the lamb is fall-off-the-bone tender. Remove the lamb shanks from the pot, let them cool slightly, then discard any bones or excess fat and shred the lamb meat into bite-sized pieces using two forks.

4. 4

   In a large separate skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 finely diced red bell pepper and 1 finely diced yellow bell pepper, sautéing them for 6 minutes until they begin to soften.

5. 5

   Incorporate 1 finely diced medium zucchini, 3 cloves of minced garlic, and 0.25 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, continuing to sauté for another 5 minutes until the zucchini is tender-crisp.

6. 6

   Stir in 1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes and 0.5 cup of pitted Kalamata olives, then add the shredded lamb meat from the braised shanks to the skillet. Gently toss and sauté all ingredients together for 3-4 minutes to heat through and meld the flavors.

7. 7

   Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in 0.5 cup of fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped, and 0.25 cup of fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, seasoning with additional salt and black pepper to taste.