Lamb shank onion tajine (tagin basal)

Heat a frying pan on high with a high smoke point oil or clarified butter; sear the meat in batches a few minutes per side, rotating, until mostly browned. Searing can be skipped at some cost in flavour.

Halve the onions, cut into strips about 1 cm wide and break the layers apart.

Cut baking paper three times the length of the baking dish; scrunch it, run under the cold tap about 10 seconds, squeeze out the water and unfold so it is flexible; line the dish with it overhanging both sides.

Put the onions in the dish; season with 4 teaspoons salt, 3 teaspoons black pepper, 1 teaspoon ground cardamom and half a teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg; mix thoroughly.

Clear space, set the meat on a bed of onions and cover it back with onions; spread flat.

Fold each side of the paper over and tuck it down the sides of the dish, then seal the whole tray with aluminium foil, so moisture cannot evaporate.

Bake at 180C for 2 and a half to 5 hours depending on the cut; 3 and a half hours for lamb shanks.

Peel back the foil and paper; for more colour, put the shanks under the grill a few minutes. Serve on vermicelli rice with plenty of onions.