For the braised lamb shanks

1. Preheat the oven to 165ºC.

2. Liberally salt and pepper the lamb shanks on all sides, and allow to rest for 15 minutes for the seasonings to be absorbed.

3. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add oil and allow the oil to shimmer.

4. Pat the lamb shanks dry and place them in the pan, avoiding crowding. (Sear the shanks in two batches if the pan won’t comfortable accommodate all 4 at the same time.) Brown the shanks well on all sides.

5. When well browned, transfer the shanks to a deep oven-proof dish just large enough to hold them. Pour the used oil out of the pan.

6. Add all of the vegetables except the tomato, bay leaves and rosemary to the sauté pan, and allow to caramelize, stirring occasionally, about 5-7 minutes.

7. Add the herbs and tomato, stir, and allow to cook for an additional minute.

8. Add the red wine, allow to come to a boil, reduce the heat slightly, and allow to simmer until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.

9. Pour the red wine/vegetable mixture evenly over the lamb shanks.

10. Bring the lamb stock to a boil and add enough to the shanks just to cover.

11. Tightly cover the dish with aluminum foil, and place in the preheated oven.

12. Allow to cook for 3 hours. When the shanks are done, they should be tender enough to cut with a spoon.

13. Allow the shanks to cool in the braising liquid for about 15 minutes, then carefully remove them and cover to keep warm.

14. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-meshed sieve into the sauté pan and allow it to gently boil over medium-high heat until reduced by two-thirds. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the moghrabieh

1. While the lamb braising liquid is reducing, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the moghrabieh, lower the heat slightly, and allow to gently boil, stirring frequently, until tender but still al dente, about 13 minutes.

2. Drain the cooked moghrabieh well and toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking together.

3. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the remaining olive oil and the mixed spices.

4. When the spices are fragrant, add the moghrabieh and toss to coat evenly.

5. Add the torn chard leaves and 10 cl. of the reduced lamb braising liquid to the pan and stir well.

6. Allow to cook, stirring frequently, until the chard is wilted and the moghrabieh is heated through. Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper as necessary.

To assemble the dish

Divide the finished moghrabieh evenly between 4 deep bowls. Place a lamb shank, bone up, in the center of each bowl and spoon the reduced sauce over the lamb and moghrabieh.