Shanked.

Last Sunday, I prepared a new crockpot recipe for lamb shanks.  While they were delicious, the real star of the meal was the new brussels sprouts dish I made.  Here are recipes and pictures for both:

Lamb Shanks in Tomato Sauce (adapted from The Gourmet Slow Cooker by Lynn Alley, serves 2)

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon ground allspice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons agave nectar
• 3 dashes Angostura bitters
• 2 lamb shanks
• salt and ground black pepper
• 1 large yellow or white onion, chopped
• 1 16 oz can crushed tomatoes

Mix cinnamon, cloves, allspice in small bowl.  Add olive oil, agave nectar, and bitters and mix well.  

Sprinkle lamb shanks with salt and pepper, then rub spice mixture on shanks.  

Put onions in a single layer in crockpot.  Place lamb shanks on top of onions.  

Spread tomatoes over shanks.

Cook for 6-8 hours on low or until meat is falling off the bone.

I served this on a dinner plate with roasted fingerling potatoes:

Pan-roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Pine Nuts (adapted from several recipes, serves 2)

• 4 slices bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 dozen brussels sprouts, halved
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Cook bacon until crisp.  Remove from pan and set aside.  

Cook pine nuts in bacon fat until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.  Remove from pan and set aside.

Heat olive oil along with remaining bacon fat.  Add brussels sprouts and saute until tender, about 20 minutes.  

Add bacon and pine nuts back into the pan and cook for 2 minutes.  Pour apple cider vinegar into mixture and cook for an additional five minutes.  

Serve on salad plate.