Hearty winter dinners

Lamb shanks with pot barley, red onions, celery and garlic

SERVES 4

4 lamb shanks (ask your butcher to saw off the knuckle, if you prefer)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons pot barley
225ml (8 fl.oz) water
Salt and pepper
4 sticks of celery, cut into 6cm (2½ in) chunks
2 large red onions, peeled and cut in quarters down through the root
8 cloves of garlic, more if you like, peeled

Preheat the oven to 140°C/275°F/ gas 1. Trim the shanks of excess fat. Put a casserole or oven-proof saucepan on a medium heat on the hob and add the olive oil. Sauté the shanks until browned all over. Add the pot barley, pour in the water, sprinkle in some salt and pepper, put the lid on and place in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. After 1 hour 15 minutes add the celery, onions and garlic and continue to cook for another 30 - 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and the lamb is tender and almost falling off the bone. Remove from the oven and strain off the juices. Skim the fat off the top of the juices and add back into the lamb.