NORTHERN PLANNER

Sometimes there's nothing more comforting than really slow cooked meat, that's so tender you could eat it with a spoon. The added bonus is that meat that's best for slow cooking tends to be the cheaper cuts that no one wants: pork or lamb shoulder, pork belly, lamb neck etc.

One exception is lamb shank, but it's so tasty and meltingly gorgeous, it's worth it.

Here's what I do with them, to serve four people.

Put for lamb shanks in a bowl, pour in a bottle of red wine, a handful of fresh rosemary and a whole head of garlic, chopped in half. Cover and marinade in the fridge for 24 hours.

Then:

Use big roasting tin, wide enough for all the shanks, deep enough for all the wine. Cover the bottom in olive oil and put in the hob until the oil is spitting.

Lift out the shanks, pat loosely with flour and put into the oil until the outide is brown (turning once).

Throw in 3 large chopped onions, stir in and leave to caramelise for about 15 minutes, Turn every now and again, don't let the onions burn, you want them golden.

Then put the shanks back in, pour over the marinade, including the garlic,cover with foil and put in the oven at 160degrees for two hours.

When they come out, they'll be outrageously tenders and you'll have a lovely sweet, sticky sauce.

Serve with whatever vegatebles you like, I love it with mashed potatoes.