Annabel Langbein's Lamb Shanks

Prep time: 15 mins/Cook time: 3 hours/ Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp flour

• salt and ground black pepper

• 8 lamb shanks

• 3 tbsp oil

• 4 whole heads garlic, halved crosswise

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 tsp brown sugar

• few drops hot pepper sauce

• 1½ cups (375ml) full-bodied red wine

• 1 cup port

• 2 sprigs rosemary, stalks removed and leaves chopped

• 2 cups beef or lamb stock

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C.

2. Place flour in a clean plastic bag with salt and a generous grind of pepper.

3. Add shanks and shake to lightly coat.

4. Heat oil in a large, heavy-based pan and brown shanks in batches.

5. Transfer to a large baking dish along with garlic halves.

6. Discard excess fat from pan, add tomato paste and cook a minute or two to let the flavour develop.

7. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a fast simmer. Stir well to lift any pan sediments then pour over meat. Cover and bake for 2 hours (or if serving at once and not reheating, cook for 2-3 hours or until very tender).

8. Cool, chill then remove any fat that sits on top.

To reheat, bring back to room temperature then cook a further 1 hour at 160 deg C. Serve shanks with a garlic half and sauce. Accompany with mash and peas and beans.