With honey, orange and cloves.

This beef ragout is a modern French take on the traditional osso bucco using a variety of interesting flavours. The meat is braised in the traditional way using stock and wine with honey, orange peels, cloves and tomatoes thrown in to create a distinctive tanginess to the dish.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

• Around 1 kg of veal or beef shanks (or other meat suited for slow cooking cut into steaks of around 200g-300g / about ½ lb each)

• 3 tbsp flour to coat the meat

• 1 carrot (roughly diced)

• 1 small turnip or parsnip (roughly diced)

• 1 small onion (roughly diced)

• 1 or 2 garlic cloves (bruised)

• 250 ml (1cup) red wine

• 300 ml (10.2 fl oz) brown veal or beef stock

• 4 cloves

• 1 orange zest – say 2 inches (5cm) by ½ inch (1.25 cm)

• 2-3 tbsp of honey

• 1 branch of thyme

• Oil for cooking the meat

• 1 good tbsp of tomato paste

• Salt and pepper to season

NOTES

• For cookware, use an enameled cast iron pot.

• The cooking time for this dish is between 2 hours – 2 ½ hours depending on the meat cuts used.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Season the meat with a good coating of salt and pepper, and then lightly dust each side with flour.

2. Heat the oil in a pot and over a medium heat brown the meat on each side. Be careful not to overcrowd the meat in the pot, brown in batches if necessary.

3. Reduce the heat to low, add a little extra oil if necessary and put the garlic, carrot, onions and turnips (or parsnips) into the pot and sweat the vegetables for 2-3 minutes.

4. Add tomato paste and mix well and then pour in the wine and deglaze the pot. Simmer for a few minutes to reduce the liquid.

5. Pour in the stock and bring back to a simmer and then add the branch of thyme, the cloves, the orange peel and the honey. Stir well and return to a simmer.

6. Gently place the meat back into the pot. If using osso bucco remove the bone from enough of the pieces to enable them to fit into the pot comfortably.

7. Simmer with the lid on for 2 to 2 ½ hours, or longer if necessary depending on the size of the meat. When the bones detach easily, or the meat comes apart easily if boneless meat is used, the dish is cooked.

8. Serve with your favourite pasta, rice or potatoes and (always) some bread.