Moroccan Lamb Shanks

This recipe is for the oven, see note at end for slow cooker.

8 lamb shanks (Frenched or not - who cares???)
plain flour
1/4 cup olive oil
2 brown onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 cup dry red wine
4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons honey
2 small sweet potatoes

1. Preheat oven to moderate.
2. Toss lamb in flour (I do this in a plastic bag).
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in flameproof dish and cook lamb until brown.
4. Heat remaining oil in same dish. Cook onion, garlic, cinnamon, cumin and coriander until soft and fragrant.
5. Add wine and bring to boil.
6. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until liquid reduces by half.
7. Add stock and honey and bring to boil again.
8. Return lamb to dish and place in oven.
9. Cook covered for about 90 minutes.
10. Uncover. Turn shanks. Add kumara.
11. Cook for another 50 minutes uncovered.
12. Can boil down the pan juices at the end to make the sauce thicker.

SLOW COOKER:
All recipes can be done in the slow cooker, just use half of the liquid. With this one, I find that less is better - so use 1/2 cup wine and 1 cup of stock. (Don't reduce any of the other quantities)
1. Brown the shanks (still toss them in flour). Put them in the slow cooker.
2. Chop up the sweet potato and put in the slow cooker.
3. Caramelize (so Masterchef!!!) the onion, garlic and spices. Mix with wine and stock
4. Pour over the shanks
5. Cook on high for 4 hours of low for 8.
(if you think you need more liquid at any stage, go the wine option but warm it first).