Braised Lamb Shanks with Tomato and Mushroom Ragout, Served with Creamy Polenta

Ingredients

• 2 lamb shanks
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup polenta
• 4 cups vegetable broth (for polenta)
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• Optional: nutritional yeast for cheesy flavor

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
2. Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper.
3. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot over medium-high heat.
4. Sear lamb shanks until browned on all sides, then remove from pot.
5. Add onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
6. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
7. Pour in red wine and deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits.
8. Add crushed tomatoes, mushrooms, vegetable broth, rosemary, and thyme.
9. Return lamb shanks to the pot. Bring to a simmer.
10. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Braise for 2.5-3 hours, or until lamb is very tender.
11. While the lamb is braising, prepare the polenta: bring vegetable broth to a boil in a saucepan.
12. Gradually whisk in polenta, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Cook until thickened, about 20-25 minutes.
13. Stir in coconut milk and nutritional yeast (if using). Season with salt and pepper.
14. Serve the braised lamb shanks with the tomato-mushroom ragout over creamy polenta.