INGREDIENTS FOR STEW RECIPES

1. Preheat the oven to 160ºC/325ºF/gas 3.
2. Dice the beef into 1cm pieces, then toss in a bowl with the flour, making sure the meat chunks are totally covered. Set aside.
3. Add a splash of oil to a large casserole pan and place it over a medium heat. When it’s hot, add the beef and cook for 5 minutes, or until the meat is browned all over. Transfer to a plate and leave to one side.
4. While the beef cooks, peel and finely chop the garlic, then peel the shallots and halve most of them, keeping a few whole. Trim and roughly chop the celery, then peel, trim and chop the carrots into 2cm rounds.
5. Splash a little more oil into the pan, then add the veg. Strip the leaves from the thyme and add to the pan, then cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened.
6. Return the beef to the pan, then stir through the tomatoes and wine. Once the liquid has been absorbed, add the stock, bay leaves and a splash of Worcestershire sauce.
7. Season with sea salt and black pepper, then transfer the stew to the oven to cook for 3 to 4 hours, or until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily with forks.
8. Serve your beef stew with creamy mashed potato and, if you like, a glass of your favourite red wine.

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas 4.
2. Heat the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat and brown the lamb chops, then remove to a plate.
3. Peel and finely slice the onions and carrots, then add to the pan and soften for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
4. Add a wineglass of water and deglaze the pan for 5 minutes.
5. Peel and slice the potato, then spread half in a layer in a large casserole dish and season well.
6. Add a layer of onion and carrot, the lamb chops, thyme and bay leaves, then season again.
7. Add the remaining onion and carrot and sprinkle the pearl barley on top. Layer over the remaining potato, the deglazed liquid and 500ml of water.
8. Cover and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the meat is tender and the potato starts to crisp up, then serve.

Preheat the oven to 150°C, fan 140°C, gas 2. Heat half the olive oil in a medium non-stick saucepan. Dust the pork with the flour. Add half the pork to the pan and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate. Repeat with the rest of the pork and set aside.

Add the remaining olive oil to the pan, along with the onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the onion has softened slightly. Return the meat to the pan with the garlic, tomatoes, bay leaf and thyme leaves. Make up 500ml stock using the stock cube and pour 300ml into the pan (save the rest for another recipe). Bring to the boil, then carefully pour the contents of the pan into an ovenproof casserole. Cover with a lid then transfer to the oven and cook for 2 hours.

Just before serving, remove the casserole from the oven, sprinkle with the grated parmesan and bake until the cheese has melted.

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5.
2. Pick and finely chop the rosemary leaves and peel and roughly chop the ginger, then add to a pestle and mortar with the cumin, coriander, fennel seeds and dried chillies. Add a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then pound to a paste, stirring in a couple of tablespoons of oil.
3. Pour half the marinade over the lamb, and massage well before you plait it, then put aside until needed.
4. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into 2.5cm chunks, peel and roughly chop the onions, and peel and finely slice the garlic, then mix with the remaining marinade.
5. Heat a little oil in a large ovenproof pan or roasting tray over a medium-high heat, add the lamb and quickly brown on both sides, then remove to a plate.
6. Add the sweet potato mixture to the pan and fry for around 4 minutes, or until the onions are slightly soft.
7. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon, then give the pan a shake and place the meat on top.
8. Add 3 wineglasses of water, the cinnamon stick, bay leaves and dried apricots, and braise in the preheated oven for 1 hour 15 minutes (I suggest you do this with the lid off to give it a little colour.
9. Cover the couscous with 300ml boiling water and leave to fluff up. Season with salt, pepper, a lug of oil and a swig of vinegar, cover with tin foil and place in the oven for 5 minutes to steam.
10. Pick and roughly chop the coriander and scatter over the lamb before serving. Divide between plates with the couscous and spoon over a good dollop of natural yoghurt.

Preheat the oven to 150°C, fan 140°C, gas 2. Heat half the olive oil in a medium non-stick saucepan. Dust the pork with the flour. Add half the pork to the pan and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate. Repeat with the rest of the pork and set aside.

Add the remaining olive oil to the pan, along with the onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the onion has softened slightly. Return the meat to the pan with the garlic, tomatoes, bay leaf and thyme leaves. Make up 500ml stock using the stock cube and pour 300ml into the pan (save the rest for another recipe). Bring to the boil, then carefully pour the contents of the pan into an ovenproof casserole. Cover with a lid then transfer to the oven and cook for 2 hours.

Just before serving, remove the casserole from the oven, sprinkle with the grated parmesan and bake until the cheese has melted.