Preheat the oven to 150 C.
In a frying pan, brown and seal the lamb for 5 mins, season and add to your baking dish.
Soften the onion and garlic with some olive oil in the same pan you browned the lamb in, then after 5 mins add the carrot and celery. After another 5 mins, turn the heat up and add the red wine and sugar, allow to reduce down for a few mins then turn the heat back to low and add the bay leaf, thyme, and tomatoes, stir and simmer for 5 mins.
Then add the tomatoes to the lamb, along with the barley and the beans and their liquid, stir well and roast for 3-3.5 hrs, until the lamb is falling off the bone.
Halfway through a cooking check to see how it’s doing, if it looks a little dry, add a dash of water. Turn the lamb over, stir the beans and drizzle with olive oil. If it looks a little dry, add a dash of water.
To serve, drizzle with some good olive oil, a sprinkling of fresh herbs and some spring greens on the side.