Moroccan-style lamb shanks

Ingredients

• 2 Lamb shanks, fat trimmed
• 1 tbsp Olive oil, extra for brushing
• 2 large Onions, each sliced into 4 inch discs then peeled
• 1 tsp Ground ginger
• 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp Ground coriander
• 1 tsp Ground cumin
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 4 strips Orange peel (avoid white pith)
• 2 Cinnamon sticks
• 500 mls Water
• pinch Saffron
• 10 Semi-dried figs
• handful Walnut halves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180*.
2. Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper.
3. In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil over a medium heat.
4. Lightly brown the lamb shanks all over.
5. Remove the dutch oven from the heat and take the lamb out and put to one side.
6. Layer the onions across the bottom of the dutch oven.  Place the shanks on top.  They will not be resting on the base of  the dutch oven.
7. Sprinkle the ground spices and sugar over the lamb shanks and onion.
8. Tuck the orange peel and cinnamon sticks around the lamb.
9. Pour the water into the dutch oven.  Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle in the saffron.
10. Cover the dutch oven and bring to the boil on the stove.
11. Once boiling, put the dutch oven into the pre-heated oven.
12. Leave for 1.5hrs to cook.
13. Remove from oven, add the figs and walnuts.  You may need to add a bit more water at this point too.
14. Continue cooking in the oven for another hour.  The figs will absorb the juices and get plump.  The sauce will get sticky – it’s worth keeping an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn.
15. Serve with your side of choice – I would suggest mashed potatoes.