Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks With Soft Polenta

From Judy (Healthy Eating mag).

• Ready In: 2 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 8  lamb shanks, trimmed
• 1⁄4 cup flour, seasoned
• 2  onions, sliced
• 3  garlic cloves, crushed
• 1  stalk celery, roughly chopped
• 2  carrots, roughly chopped
• 2  parsnips, roughly chopped
• 1  cup red wine
• 3  cups  chicken stock
• 1  cup  tomato  passata
• 1  bay leaf
• 1  sprig fresh thyme
• 1⁄2  orange rind, cut into thick strips
• 1  sprig fresh parsley

• Polenta

• 2  cups  chicken stock
• 2  cups water
• 1  cup  fine  instant polenta
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 1  pinch paprika, to garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 160°C(315°F). Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed casserole dish. It should be big enough to fit the shanks in a single layer. Lightly dust the shanks in the flour and brown in casserole dish. Remove from dish.
2. Add onion and cook gently for a few minutes. Stir in garlic, celery, carrot and parsnip. Pour in wine and let come back up to heat, about 1 minute. Return the shanks to the dish. Add the stock, passata herbs and orange peel. Cover and bake for 2 hours or until shanks are tender.
3. Gently remove the shanks from the dish and arrange on a warm serving plate. Spoon the vegetables and gravy over the shanks. Discard herbs. Serve with the polenta.
4. Polenta: Bring the stock and water to the boil. Slowly rain in the polenta, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer over low heat for 5-6 minutes or until mix starts to leave the side of the pot. Remove from heat, add butter and season with salt and pepper. Spoon into a warm serving dish.