HOW TO COOK LAMB SHANK RECIPES

1. Peel and finely chop the onions, then place in a really large casserole pan (roughly 26cm in diameter, 12cm deep), with a lug of olive oil and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Cook over a medium-high heat, until the onions start to caramelise, stirring as you go.
2. Add the raisins and marmalade, then add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and booze. Give it all a good stir, then leave to gently simmer over a medium-low heat.
3. Put the lamb shanks into a large frying pan (30cm wide) on a medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil – cook them in batches, if needed, turning regularly.
4. Once the lamb has some good colour, pick in the rosemary leaves and move them around in the pan to get crispy, but don’t let them burn.
5. Using tongs, move the shanks into the pan of onions, then pour in all their juices and the crispy rosemary.
6. Add the stock, put the lid on, turn the heat down to low and leave to slowly blip away for 3 hours, or until the meat falls off the bone easily, turing halfway for even cooking.
7. Once cooked, carefully move the shanks to a platter, making sure the meat stays intact.
8. Whiz or liquidize the gravy with a stick blender until smooth, then allow to thicken and reduce on the hob.
9. Quickly bash most of the mint leaves in a pestle and mortar with a good pinch of salt and the olive or rapeseed oil, then take to the table.
10. Trim and finely slice the spring onions and toss on a plate with the remaining fresh mint leaves, a drizzle of cider vinegar and a pinch of salt.
11. Add a little splash of cider vinegar and a few more splashes of Worcestershire sauce to the sauce, then ladle it all over the lamb shanks, pouring the rest into a jug for people to help themselves.
12. Scatter the vinegary spring onions and a few fresh mint leaves all over the top, and drizzle the mint oil all around the shanks. Delicious served with potato and celeriac mash – the plate will be clean before you know it.

1. Heat the oven to 150°C/130°C Fan. Pour the litre of water into a small casserole with a tightly fitting lid (I use one of 20cm diameter) and stir in the gochujang paste until dissolved, then add the salt, allspice, cumin seeds and star anise. Now add the lamb shank to the pot, and put over medium heat.

2. Cut the ginger into coins and add to the pot as well, along with the carrot, peeled (if you want) and cut into four, the garlic cloves, bruised with the flat of a wide-bladed knife, and the shallots, cut in half, though there is no need to peel them. In fact, I don’t bother to peel anything. Once everything’s in the pan, the lamb shank should be just covered. If it isn’t, add some more water.

3. Once it’s come to the boil, clamp on the lid and cook in the oven for 2–2½ hours, by which time the meat should be very tender indeed, and ready to fall off the bone.

4. Using tongs, transfer the lamb shank to a large-ish bowl, then strain the liquid over it. Leave to cool, then refrigerate overnight.

5. The next day, remove the solidified fat, and shred the meat – not too finely, you don’t want stringiness – into a small saucepan, pouring over the liquid, and in another pan, large enough to take the pasta and cabbage, bring water to the boil.

6. Shred the cabbage. When the water’s come to the boil, add salt, and turn the heat on very low under the pan of lamb and its broth so that it warms gently, though you do want it to be piping hot by the time the pasta and cabbage are cooked.

7. Add the pappardelle to the boiling salted water and when it’s 3 minutes away from its full cooking time (check the packet for instructions) add the cabbage and stir well. When both cabbage and pasta are cooked, drain, then divide between two noodle bowls.

8. Using a slotted spoon, lift out the hot lamb and share between the two bowls, then ladle the broth on top. If you have any of the crispy chilli oil add 1 teaspoon or so to each bowl, and take both bowls to the table, making sure you come back for the Chilli Crisp oil, so you can add more as you eat.