Lamb shanks with herb crumbs, asparagus and new potatoes...

Tom Kerridge’s famous meltingly tender lamb is the ideal dish for a spring weekend lunch or dinner

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 4 hrs 20 min

Serves:4

Ingredients:

vegetable oil, for frying

4 small English lamb shanks

3 carrots, peeled and cut into thirds

2 onions, peeled and cut into quarters

1.5 litres dark brown chicken stock

1 bouquet garni

400 g new potatoes

1 bunches mint

2 bunches asparagus, peeled

rapeseed oil, for dressing

1 bunches curly parsley

1 cloves garlic

50-100 g dry breadcrumbs

1 lemon, zest only

1. Preheat the oven to 130C/110C fan/gas 1/2. 

2. Heat a little vegetable oil in a large, flameproof casserole and cook the onions and carrots until caramelised. While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the lamb shanks. 

3. Heat a little vegetable oil in a heavy-based frying pan and sear the lamb shanks until browned all over. 

4. Add the browned lamb shanks to the caramelised vegetables, pour over the chicken stock and add the bouquet garni. Bring to the boil, cover with a lid, transfer to the oven and cook for 3-3½ hours, until the shanks are very tender. 

5. Remove the lamb from the casserole and keep warm. Pass the stock through a sieve, return to a clean saucepan and reduce on the hob to a nice sauce consistency. 

6. Put the potatoes into a saucepan of water with half the mint and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and cook until tender, then drain and keep warm. 

7. Blanch the asparagus in boiling salted water, dress in a little rapeseed oil and a sprinkle of salt and freshly ground black pepper and keep warm. 

8. Pulse the parsley, remaining mint and garlic in a blender until finely chopped and combine with the dry breadcrumbs and lemon zest. 

9. To serve, put a lamb shank on each plate, spoon over some sauce and then sprinkle with the breadcrumb mix. Accompany with the asparagus and new potatoes and a little extra sauce. 

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