This is a simple to prepare, taking time but little attention. It'll also wow him or her indoors - a great little number all round.

Lamb isn’t the lowest fat option, but serving lamb shanks mean the sweetest meat, a bone to chew and no leftovers that would linger from a larger cut. Won’t cost much more than a fiver to do.

Kit you'll need

Small Roasting Tin
Foil
Saucepans
Blender or Food Processor

Ingredients

2 Lamb Shanks
1 Teaspoon Chopped Rosemary
Tsp Garlic Puree or ½ Tsp Garlic Flakes
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
2 Red Onions, peeled and sliced
150 ml Stock – use a cube for speed
500g New Potatoes, scrubbed

Step by step instructions

- Set the oven to 180 deg C, Gas 6
- Mix the rosemary, lemon juice and garlic and brush over the surface to the lamb. Wipe it over with Kitchen Towel if you don’t have a brush
- Loosely cover the lamb with foil, place on middle shelf of oven and cook for one hour, then turn the oven off and leave it there whilst you prep the veg.
- Place the new potatoes in cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 15 to 20 min.
- Ten mins before the potatoes will be ready, put the onions in a saucepan with the stock. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and cook for 6 to 8 mins until softened.
- Remove the lamb from the oven and drain any liquid from it into the pan containing the onions. Boil rapidly with stirring 3 to 4 mins until most of the liquid has evaporated
- Place the onion mixture on warmed serving plates and lay the lamb shanks on top. Drain the potatoes and add to the plates.

Points for style

You may, like me, not need to buy fresh or dried rosemary if it is growing in a garden nearby and you are light fingered :-0