Oxtail Stew

Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F).

Place a large roasting tray in the oven to preheat.

Carefully remove the hot tray from the oven, then add the oxtail.

Season and drizzle over a lug of olive oil, then toss to coat and place in the hot oven for around 20 minutes, or until golden and caramelized.

Meanwhile, trim and halve the leeks and celery lengthways, then chop into rough 2cm chuncks.

Peel and chop the carrots into 2 cm pieces, then place into a large ovenproof casserole pan over a medium-low heat with 1 tbsp of olive oil.

Pick and roughly chop then and add the thyme and rosemary leaves, then add the bay and cook for around 20 minutes, or until soft and sweet, stirring continuously.

Meanwhile, remove the oxtail from the oven and set it aside.

Reduce the oven's temperature to 170°C (325°F).

Add the cloves and flour to the veg, stirring well to combine, then pour in the tomatoes and wine.

Add the oxtail and any roasting juice, cover with the beef stock or 1 litre of cold water and stir well.

Turn up heat to high and bring to a boil, then pop the lid on and place in the hot oven for about 5 hours, or until the meat falls away from the bone, stirring every hours or so and adding a splash of water to loosen if needed.

Remove the pan from the oven and leave to cool for about 10 minutes.

Using rubber gloves, strip the meat from the bones and return to the pan, discarding the bones.

Add a good splash of Worcestershire sauce, season to taste, and enjoy with creamy mash and seasonal steamed greens.