Ingredients

• 4 lamb shanks
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 350ml/12fl oz red wine
• 1 onion
• cut into quarters
• 1 head garlic
• cut in half horizontally
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 5 anchovy fillets
• 1 litre/1¾ pints hot beef stock
• 50g/2oz butter
• 75g/3oz butter
• 1 onion
• finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• finely chopped
• 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 4 tomatoes
• skins and seeds removed
• chopped
• 400g/14oz canned flageolet beans
• drained and rinsed
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley

Directions

• For the lamb shanks
• preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2.
• Season the lamb shanks with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large casserole over a medium heat. When the oil is hot
• add the lamb shanks and fry on all sides until browned all over.
• Add the red wine and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the volume of liquid has reduced by a third.
• Add the onion
• garlic
• rosemary and anchovy fillets and stir well to combine.
• Add enough of the hot beef stock to just cover the lamb (the bones should be protruding from the surface of the liquid). Return the mixture to a gentle simmer.
• Transfer the casserole to the oven and cook
• uncovered
• for three hours
• turning the lamb shanks occasionally (about once every 45 minutes).
• Meanwhile
• for the flageolet beans
• heat half of the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. When the butter is foaming
• add the onion
• garlic and rosemary and fry for 2-3 minutes
• or until just softened.
• Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 2-3 minutes
• or until they have broken down slightly.
• Add the drained flageolet beans and stir until heated through. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Add the remaining butter and stir until the butter has melted. Add the parsley and stir well to combine.
• When the lamb shanks are cooked through
• remove them from the cooking liquid and set aside on a warm plate.
• Return the casserole to the hob and bring the cooking liquid to the boil. Boil for 4-5 minutes
• or until it has reduced slightly.
• Strain the reduced cooking liquid through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan
• then season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the butter and whisk until it has melted and the sauce is glossy.
• To serve
• divide the flageolet beans equally among four serving plates. Place one lamb shank on top of each. Drizzle the reduced sauce over and around the lamb shanks.