Ingredients

Lamb Shanks

6 pounds lamb shanks (6-8 shanks, depending on size), trimmed

2 tablespoons kosher salt plus more

Freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon coarsely ground fennel seeds

7 garlic cloves, 1 grated, 6 minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 large onions, minced

2 tablespoons flour

2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 cups drained canned diced tomatoes

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 cups (or more) low-sodium chicken broth

Polenta

1 1/2 cups polenta

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 1/2 cups finely grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Stir polenta, oil, salt & 7 1/2 cups water in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish to blend. Bake, uncovered for 1 1/4 hrs. Stir in cheese & butter & season with pepper. Smooth top & continue baking until polenta is set & jiggles like custard, 25-30 min.

Gremolata and Assembly

3/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

Using sharp knife, mince parsley (make sure it’s dry). Mix parsley with remaining ingredients in a small bowl; toss to evenly incorporate.

Divide polenta among large wide bowls. Spoon meat with juices over. Sprinkle meat generously with gremolata.

Preparation

Lamb Shanks Place lamb on a large rimmed baking sheet; season with 2 Tbs salt & pepper. Mix rosemary, fennel seeds, & grated garlic; massage into lamb. Cover & let stand at room temperature for 1 hr or preferably, chill overnight.

Preheat oven to 350. Heat oil in a large wide heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, season with salt & pepper, stirring occasionally, until golden, 8-10 min.

Add minced garlic, flour, paprika, & red pepper flakes. Stir vigorously. Cook, stirring often, until mixture becomes dry, about 1 min. Add tomatoes & wine. Simmer briskly, stirring often, until juices thicken & tomatoes begin to break down, about 10 min.

Gradually stir in 4 cups broth. Simmer 3-4 min. Season with salt & pepper. Add lamb shanks to pot in a single layer, (add additional broth if needed so that shanks are about 3/4 submerged).

Roast, uncovered, until tops of shanks have browned, about 30 min. Turn shanks over & roast 30 min longer.

Cover & cook, turning shanks occasionally, until meat is fork-tender & almost falling off the bone, 45 min to 1 1/2 hrs (time will depend on size of shanks). Remove from oven & skim off fat from surface of sauce. Let shanks rest for at least 30 min. Lamb shanks can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover & keep chilled.

While polenta bakes: discard fat from surface of lamb shank mixture & bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, & simmer gently, occasionally turning shanks & stirring sauce, until heated through, about 20 min. If large shanks, shred meat, if small serve whole.

Preheat broiler. Broil polenta, until golden, 5-7 min. Serve immediately for soft polenta, for firm let rest for 30 min.