Lamb Shank in Apple Cider with Spring Cabbage and Mushrooms

Start getting your grill forno heated through.

Lay the lamb shanks, seasoned with salt, pepper and a drop of oil on the grill with slices of fennel, carrots, celery and halved shallots.

Place the whole of this in the grill forno and grill until golden.

Take out the grill insert after 5 minutes and check. If the vegetables are well roasted on one side, remove them and place them in a cast iron saucepan that fits into the forno.

Turn the shanks and roast until golden on all sides, then add them to the vegetables.

Add the sliced garlic cloves, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves and apple cider and stir a few times. Top off with a handful of halved plum or cherry tomatoes. Put the lid on the saucepan and replace it in the forno. Stoke up gently at the sides of the stove.

The stove must be kept at an even temperature for the next hour to an hour and a half, so it will need topping up with sticks now and then.

In the meantime, rinse the cabbage and split along the stalk. Split again, still along the stalk, into 6-8 boats, depending on the size of the cabbage.

Brush the mushrooms.

When the meat nearly falls from the bone, the lamb is cooked and can be taken out of the forno.

Stoke up the stove some more, and when it is going well again, put in the roasting tray and heat it well.

Remove the roasting plate and place it on a trivet or similar.

Dribble on a little oil, then lay on the mushrooms and cabbage and return to the forno.

Wait a couple of minutes, remove the roasting plate and turn the cabbage and mushrooms, then replace it for a couple more minutes.

Remove the plate again, add white wine and let it soak in, then add the cream and let that soak in.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and plenty of flatleaf parsley. Serve with tender lamb shanks, roasting stock and greens from the lamb dish.

Tip 2: Lamb and braised dishes generally go well with dark berries. For a change, try adding blackberries or blueberries the next time you make a lovely red wine braised meat dish. That's a clever twist.