Preheat the oven to 225C.

Place the shanks in a roasting pan just large enough to fit them in one layer and rub with the olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Roast for 20 minutes to get a nice brown colour. Remove from the oven and turn the temperature down to 150C.

While waiting for the oven to cool, spoon out any excess fat and scatter the garlic cloves, lemon halves, chicken stock and herbs over and around the lamb.

Return to the oven, still uncovered. Roast the lamb for an additional 2 hours, occasionally basting the broth over the lamb. Add a little more chicken broth if required.

The lamb shanks are done when nicely browned and fork-tender.

Cover and let the lamb rest for ten minutes.

While resting, remove any excess fat from the top of the juices. Reheat the juices and squeeze in the juice from the lemon halves, remove the garlic cloves from their skins and the stalks of thyme/rosemary (leaving the leaves). Reduce broth if required for a self-made gravy.

Spoon the gravy over the lamb and serve with mashed sweet pumpkin and steamed greens.