This is really two recipes. The tomato sauce is the best quick and dirty red sauce I've ever found and the lamb shanks just happen to go well with it.

Red Sauce-
Ingredients;
1 large can (20 oz, 24 0z?) of Hunts diced tomatoes.
2 good sized shallots, diced
1/2 tablespoon fennel seed
Pinch red pepper flakes
1/4 cup Olive oil
salt, pepper and sugar to taste

Saute Shallots in 1/4 cup olive oil till translucent.

Add fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, tomatoes.

Taste and add salt/sugar as needed.

Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Done. Wasn't that simple?


Shanks-

Preheat oven to 325 F

2 (or 3 or 4) 10-12 oz shanks will work with the amount of sauce above.

Season shanks with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper and then lightly dust with flour. Tossing in a large bowl with the seasonings/flour works easiest for me.

Sear shanks in olive oil on all sides till just browned. Remove shanks from pan.

Deglaze pan with a dry white wine (1/4 cup) loosening up any stuck brown bits. If there aren't any stuck bits, just simmer the wine for a bit (2 minutes tops) to boil off the alcohol. Stir the pan well while simmering.

Using a dutch oven or braising pot (a lidded, deep, oven safe pan would also work), place shanks on bottom, pour pan/wine juices over shanks, add red sauce, add one stick cinnamon.

Bake covered for 1 hour at 325 degrees and add a palm full of fresh chopped basil when you pull it out.

Mashed potatoes with fresh chives and yellow squash with salt and pepper as sides. I follow with a sorbet because the meal is heavy enough that any rich dessert would be overkill.