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1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or deep ovenproof skillet over medium heat.
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2
Add the onion, celery, carrot, and season with 2 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste.
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3
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and just beginning to brown, about 20 minutes.
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4
Add the garlic and tomato paste, mix well and cook until the tomato paste darkens, about 3 minutes.
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5
Salt and pepper the lamb shanks and lay them in a single layer, over the vegetables in the Dutch oven.
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6
Add enough stock to surround but not cover the shanks and bring to a simmer.
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7
Transfer to the oven.
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8
Braise the shanks, uncovered, turning every 30 minutes or so, until the meat is fork tender, about 2 hours.
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9
(The meat will brown during the final stages of braising.)
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10
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for about 15 minutes to allow the fat to rise to the surface of the sauce.
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11
Transfer the meat to a plate.
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12
Skim the fat from the surface of the braising liquid.
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13
Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing down on the vegetables with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.
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14
Discard the vegetables.
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15
Degrease the sauce again if necessary and return to the Dutch oven.
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16
Simmer the sauce until reduced by about half.
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17
Return the shanks to the sauce, and warm gently over low heat.
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18
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
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19
Transfer to a warm serving dish and serve.
