Spanish-style lamb shank casserole

Let lamb shanks take pride of place on your table. Once a poor man's cut of meat. In this spicy Spanish inspired casserole, the meat falls off the bone.

Cook 30 minutes, plus 2-10 hours depending if you are using a slow cooker | Serves 4 | Easy

Ingredients

• 2 lamb shanks, large, 400-475g each

• 6 chorizo sausages, fresh, skinned and crumbled into small pieces

• 4 carrots, peeled and diced

• 1 large onion, peeled and diced

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely diced

• 400g of tinned chopped tomatoes

• 1 tsp hot smoked paprika

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• flour

• olive oil

• salt

• black pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then coat the lamb shanks in flour and add them to the pan – fry them over a high heat until golden brown, turning them half way through

Set the lamb shanks to one side and add the chorizo, carrots, onion and garlic to the pan and cook until the chorizo sausage has released its oil and the vegetables are tinged with brown. Put the chorizo and vegetables into a slow-cooker (or a casserole dish) and add the spices and the tinned tomatoes

Fill the empty chopped tomato tin with water and add that to the rest of the ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper

If using a slow cooker, cook on high for 6 to 8 hours and then keep warm for up to 2 hours

To cook in a conventional oven: pre-heat oven to 170°C/gas mark 3 and cook in a covered casserole dish for 3 to 4 hours depending on the size of the shanks

Before serving, skim the fat off the surface and decant to another serving dish if you prefer. Serve immediately with mashed sweet potatoes. (The meat just falls off the bone, so divide the meat and the casserole broth between the diners)

SOURCE