Many discussions are heard in winter about the new luxury fare, lambshanks. Boiled down the philosophy is this. Lamb shanks and osso bucco, casseroles and meatloaf all came from the poor old days when people had a lot more time than money, shared what they had, made the most of it and really enjoyed what they got. Today these long slow cooking methods are recognised as producing great tasting nutritious and satisfying meals, generating such flushes of passion that professional cooks are now selling them nightly in swish eateries across the nation. While the weather is still wintery, let’s temporarily revisit the days of ‘no hustle and bustle no worries and no probs’ where people who liked each other shared a communal chat and a chuckle over dinner together in the kitchen with no fuss or fancy ingredients. Basic tucker cooked well costs less than a parking fine and makes us happy. Try it.

Lambshanks. Serves 6.
Hints for casseroles. You can use barley or tapioca as a thickener, any vegetable soup concentrates as a flavour additive, your favourite fresh or dried herbs.
Keep packets and tined stores ready in the pantry to deal with casserole attacks.
You can use the leftovers of today’s recipe as a soup or sauce during the next few days after removing the meatbones and pushing it through a sieve.
A good rich sauce will freeze well and can then reappear to become the base of your next exciting casserole in the kitchen. Extra vegetables can be cooked in the pot with the shanks for the last hour. Big hunks of pumpkin and potatoes can be cooked separately in the oven and fresh greens in the steamer if you prefer. An interesting addition to any casserole is pipped green olives, try them for a clean green taste sensation.

Ingredients.
6 lambshanks
A 400g can of tomatoes
A glass of red wine.
3 tbspns olive oil.
300 mls of water stock or soup.
Seasonings of sea salt, cracked black pepper and a big handful of fresh herbs for aroma.
A dinner bowl full of mixed prepared seasonal vegetables such as carrotts parsnips turnips leeks celery onions garlic cloves.

Method.
Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan and brown and soften the shanks then add vegetables, remove them and add the wine. Place the vegetables in the bottom of an ovenproof casserole pot, add seasonings and a cup of barley if using it, then the shanks and any remaining liquids and scrapings from pot.. Pour liquids over the shanks then tomatoes add herbs place a heavy lid or foil over the casserole and leave to cook low in the oven on low- medium heat for at least 2 hours at 180c. You can turn down the oven and reheat on high a few hours later or serve the entire contents just as they are immediately over a large hot mound of mash, creamy polenta or rice. If you really want to refine this good country meal for guests who do not understand the pleasantries of peasant fare, then remove the shanks, carve off the meat, ditch the bones and put the vegetables and liquids through a sieve and serve as a pouring sauce.

Chicken is particularly good on the barbie as it takes only a few minutes to crisp up, is very cheap if you use thighs and pieces, tastes delicious if marinated and can be prepared the night before and left to mull in the fridge until you need to pluck it out and serve up with salads.

Recipe. Serves 4.
Spring chicken with bacon, figs or exotic mushrooms and Greek Yogurt.
 8 chicken thighs
 Small packet of bacon
 500 gms small cup mushrooms or exotics if you like them better
 1/2 cup olive oil and a nut of butter

Marinade.
 1 tbspn mild curry powder
 1 pink onion finely chopped
 1 tspn freshly grated ginger or bottled pulp
 2 tbspns chopped coriander leaves or parsley
Mix together in a bowl the curry powder onion herbs salt and pepper. Add mixture to coat the chicken, cover with a plate or plastic wrap.
  Put in fridge until needed.

Method.
Light up the BBQ or grill and use the rungs for chicken and hot plate for veg or use the large frying pan on your stove top. Do not burn any of these ingredients and keep an eagle eye on the fragile chicken and mushrooms.

Melt the butter with half the oil. Cut the bacon in half, pour the other half of the olive oil over the mushrooms. Cook the bacon and remove, then add the mushrooms then remove them, now cook and turn the chicken until crispy , about 5- 7 minutes depending on the heat, re-warm the mushrooms and bacon for a minute. Mix everything together and add some yogurt to the leftover marinade , warm it up then pour over the chicken as a sauce. Place chicken over some salad greens on one large platter or serve separately in bowls. Sprinkle with hot nuts if you like them or hot sesame seeds. If you need any other dishes go for plain brown rice or couscous or polenta served beside or under the chicken.