Method

• 1.
  Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced.
• 2.
  Heat oil in a large flameproof roasting pan (see recipe notes) over high heat. Season shanks all over and cook for 15 minutes, turning, until well browned. Transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic, thyme and orange peel. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add stock, syrup, vinegar and orange juice and scrape base of pan with a spoon to dislodge any brown bits. Bring to the boil, then return lamb to pan. Cover pan with lid or foil and roast in oven for 2 hours, or until shanks are tender. Transfer shanks to a plate and pour the liquid into a medium frypan.
• 3.
  Meanwhile, to make Paris mash, place whole potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Season with salt flakes and bring to the boil. Cook for 30-35 minutes, until very tender. Drain and return to pan over low heat, tossing potatoes for 1 minute to dry. Add butter and 2-3 tbs milk and mash using a potato masher, adding more milk as you go, until smooth. You can stop here, or for a smoother mash, pass the mash, in small batches, through a fine sieve placed over a bowl, using a pastry scraper (see recipe notes). Check seasoning, top with extra butter and cover to keep warm (see note).
• 4.
  Meanwhile, return shanks to roasting pan with the onion and ½ cup (125ml) sauce from frypan. Toss onion in sauce and baste shanks. Increase oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced and roast for 30 minutes, basting shanks with sauce from roasting pan every 10 minutes. Bring remaining sauce to the boil over high heat and boil for 8-10 minutes, until thickened. Stir in extra 1 tsp vinegar, or to taste. Set aside and keep warm.
• 5.
  Meanwhile, cook beans in a medium saucepan of boiling salted water for 4 minutes. Drain and return to pan with extra garlic and butter. Toss and stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Season to taste.
• 6.
  Serve shanks with mash, roasted onion and garlic beans, and drizzle with sauce.