Lamb Shanks with Pot Barley

Lamb Shanks with Pot Barley, Red Onions, Celery and Garlic

Serves 4

Ingredients

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

 Method

1. Preheat the oven to 140c.
2. Trim the shanks of excess fat. Put a casserole or saucepan on the heat and add the olive oil, sauté the shanks until nice and brown all over, add the pot barley, pour in the water, some salt and pepper, put the lid on and place in the oven for 1 Hour and fifteen min. 
3. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. 
4. After one hour and fifteen min add the celery, onions and garlic, and continue to cook for about another 30-45 min, or until the vegetables are soft and the lamb is very tender and almost falling off the bone. 
5. Remove from the oven and strain off the juices, skim the fat off the top and add back into the lamb. 
6. This is great with a mashed potato, or a champ.