The Shed

Ingredients: For 4-6 people

2 small, or 1-2 large lamb shanks per person.

Shallots 5-6 per person, or very small brown onions (not salad onions or Cairns “shallots”) Peeled and slit about one third through with sharp knife (don’t let Mo do this bit) keeping shallots whole

3 large bulbs of garlic, crushed (or paste/jar etc.)

Large can of butter beans – discard water

Litre carton of Chicken Stock  (more than enough, may be too much)

Fresh chopped Rosemary and Thyme (or  herb paste)

Method:

Brown lamb shanks, 2 to 3 at a time in very hot frying pan.  Add a tiny bit of oil to start it off.  Turn the meat a few times over 3-4 minutes to ‘sear’ the surfaces brown.  Remove and mop off excess fat with kitchen paper.

Place lamb shanks in large casserole or roasting pan with lid.

Add shallots, herbs, garlic and butter beans

Add chicken stock to almost cover meat

Put in oven with lid on at 200 degrees c (?gas)  moderately hot to get it all cooking

After about 30 minutes turn heat down to 160 – 170 and cook for further 1 and a half to two hours, at least, although can take much longer cooking on low heat  Low, slow cooking is best and I usually cook it between 3-4 hours. On about 160.

Stir around a couple times during cooking – or move meat from bottom of pan to top to brown more.  If too much liquid near end of cooking time, remove or partially remove lid to reduce liquid.

30 mins before ready to serve, add chopped fresh green beans to dish.

NB  Butter beans could be also added at this point – they can go mega mushy if in for whole cooking time.

Serve with garlic mash.  I add  a knob of butter,  milk  – amount to preference, salt and white pepper,  about 2 cloves of garlic and some cream or sour cream to mash for special occasions.