DAILY DINNERS

Get out a large, heavy-bottomed casserole and, on the hob over a medium to high heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil. Add the beef and cook, stirring frequently, for 5–10 minutes, till they’ve crisped up a bit.

Remove the beef and set aside. Add the chopped onion, stirring well and turn down the heat to low and cook – stirring every now and again – for 10 minutes, by which time the onions will have softened and caramelised.

Stir in the thyme & the cloves, and then tumble in the cubed shin of beef and toss and turn the meat in the pan.

Pour the stock into a large jug and stir in the sugar and the cider vinegar and then add the beer before pouring this over the stew in the pan. Stir to mix then leave to come to the boil, add the bay leaves and salt and a good grinding of pepper.

Put the mustard on the slices of bread and put them on top of the stew, mustard side down, then clamp on the lid shut and turn down the heat to low or put in the oven on a low heat 150C/Gas 2.

Cook gently for 3 hours, until the meat is fork tender. You can let it cool, and refrigerate, so leaving it to bring joy to another day.

Garnish with the parsley and serve with carrots

The stew can be made up to 2 days ahead. Transfer to non-metallic bowl to cool. Cover and refrigerate as soon as possible. To reheat, put stew back in casserole dish and reheat very gently on the stove, until piping hot; or reheat in oven at 150ºC/gas mark 2 for 1 hour, until piping hot.

The cooled stew can be frozen, in airtight container, for up to 3 months (and you can freeze in smaller portions for weekday suppers). Defrost overnight in fridge and reheat as above.