Make ahead note:

Recipe can prepared completely ahead and frozen. You can reheat if frozen on the top of the stove.

Ingredients:

• 8 lamb shanks - about 10 oz each. If very large, ask your butcher to cut in half
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 3 Tbl oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• Several sprigs of fresh thyme or 1/2 tea dried
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup port
• 1-1/2 cup hearty red wine such as a Rhone
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Place the shanks in a roasting pan and salt and pepper well. Place in preheated oven and roast for 15 minutes to brown. Turn and roast an additional 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

While the shanks are browning in the oven, heat the oil in a large, ovenproof casserole. Add the onions and cook until they begin to turn golden. Add the garlic and thyme. When the meat is browned add to casserole along with all the port, chicken stock and white wine. The liquid need not completely cover the meat. Place in oven and cook for about an hour and a half. Turn the meat a couple of times during the cooking. The meat will be so tender that it is falling off the bone. Taste the cooking liquid and add more salt and pepper as necessary. The shanks can be brought to the table and served from the casserole.