Sophie Conran - Sophie Conran’s Soups and Stews

Once the meat has finished simmering, remove the bouquet garni and stir the onions and mushrooms through. Taste for seasoning. I like to serve with mashed potatoes (see page 187) and buttered Savoy cabbage.

This is a classic stew from Provence, made using either white or red wine. Daube is traditionally served with noodles and often made with the meat of bulls killed in bullfights, which still take place in the region. It’s named after ‘dobar’, the Spanish word for stew.

1kg/2 1/ 4lb chuck steak cut into 5cm/2 inch cubes

2 tbsp olive oil

150g/5oz pancetta cut into small cubes

1 red pepper cored, seeded and sliced

2 red onions peeled and chopped

100g/3 1/ 2oz black olives

150ml/5fl oz beef stock (see page 184)

400g tin of chopped plum tomatoes

2 anchovies chopped

2 strips of orange zest (use a potato peeler)

1 handful of rinsed capers (optional)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the marinade

150ml/5fl oz white wine

1 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves of garlic peeled, bashed and cut in half

1 tsp each finely chopped fresh thyme and rosemary

freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl, add the beef and stir through. Leave to stand for a couple of hours or overnight, stirring occasionally. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2. Heat half the oil in a large pan with a lid, pop the pancetta into the pan and cook, stirring, until it begins to brown. Stir in the red pepper, onions and olives and fry for 10 minutes.

Heat the remaining oil in another pan until smoking. Drain the beef from the marinade (reserving the marinade) and fry the beef in batches for 3 minutes on each side until brown. Add to the pan with the onion mixture, and deglaze the pan the beef was fried in with the stock. Pour the stock over the meat, stir in the tomatoes, reserved marinade, anchovies and orange zest, stir through and pop into the oven for 2 hours. Check after 1 hour and top up with water if it starts to dry out. Once it is cooked through, stir in the capers, if using, taste and adjust the seasoning. Add a little boiling water if it is a bit dry. Serve with plain boiled potatoes tossed in butter and parsley, a tomato salad and a big green salad. It is also lovely with couscous.

Jeremy Lee’s

Jeremy is a fantastic chef and his wit is sharper than any knife and keener than the strongest mustard. His smile and cooking can brighten any day. In this recipe, the featherblade, a piece of shoulder of beef, is cooked very slowly on the gentlest of heats until tender.

6 tbsp olive oil

1 piece of featherblade of beef about 2.5kg/5 1/ 2 lb

150g/5oz unsalted butter

6 fresh sage leaves

1 generous sprig each of fresh thyme and rosemary

10 cloves of garlic unpeeled

250g/9oz lentils those from Puy are excellent

1 small onion peeled and finely chopped

1 small carrot peeled and finely chopped

1 rib of celery peeled and finely chopped

2 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped

1 bay leaf

For the green sauce

tight fistful of picked fresh flat-leaf parsley

4 anchovy fillets coarsely chopped

1 tsp of capers coarsely chopped

2 cloves of garlic peeled and finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp very good red wine vinegar

sea salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper

Place a heavy-bottomed pot on a gentle heat and pour in 2 tablespoons of the oil. Liberally salt and pepper the featherblade, ensuring a thoroughly even seasoning rubbed all over. Place the meat in the heated oil and let it sit until darkened and well coloured, without singeing. Move and repeat until the whole piece is marvellously crusted all over.

Remove the joint, discard any oil and wipe the pan, leaving only the gunk adhering to the bottom and sides of the pan. Add in the butter and 2 tablespoons of fresh oil. Throw in the herbs and then return the beef, rolling altogether. Add a cup or so of water and stand back, then reduce the heat to a little murmur and place a lid upon the pot. Let the joint cook quietly for 4-6 hours until the piece is soft and tender. Roll the joint occasionally to prevent sticking and add a little water every now and then to keep the whole thing merry.

While the beef continues on its way, attention now turns towards the lentils. Tip the lentils into a sieve and rinse very well under cold, running water. Put the lentils into a pot, cover with cold water and set this upon a high heat and bring to a boil. Tip the lentils into a colander and rinse lightly under cold water. Pour the remaining oil into a pan then add the carrot, onion, celery and garlic. Fry gently for ten minutes or so, stirring frequently, then add the lentils and the bay leaf and enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer and leave to cook, a lid upon the pot, for a few hours until very tender.

Once the pots are simmering, make the green sauce. Wash the leaves very well, leave them to dry, then place in a bowl with the anchovies, capers and garlic. Pour in the oil and the vinegar stirring together very well.

Remove the beef to a splendid dish. Add some water to the pot, up the heat and stir well lifting up any scraps adhering to the bottom of the pot. Tip the warm lentils into this, then add the green sauce. Pour this over the beef and take triumphantly to the table where folks can help themselves.

Bollito misto, as its name suggests, is mixed boiled meat. It is the Italian equivalent of boiled beef and carrots, totally delicious and almost as easy to make as a boiled egg. The list of meat is only a guide—add or omit meats as you like.

1 small veal tongue about 1kg/2 1/ 4 lb, trimmed of all bones (I like to tie mine with string in a roll)

1 ham hock about 1kg/2 1/ 4 lb

2 onions peeled

4 carrots peeled

1/ 2celeriac peeled and cubed

1 small chicken

1 bay leaf

1 Cotechino (pork boiling sausage)

Fill a very large pot three-quarters full with water and bring to the boil. Drop in the tongue and ham and simmer for 1 1/ 2hours.

Plop the veg, chicken and bay leaf into the pot and continue simmering for another 30 minutes. Take the tongue out and leave to cool, then peel the skin off the tongue and chuck the skin away. Cook the Cotechino as directed on the package. Return the tongue to the pot and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.

Serve all the meat cut in slices, with plain boiled potatoes tossed in butter and parsley, some lentils and a few sauces. My favourite is salsa verde, but a home-made mayonnaise with a little grated fresh horseradish is delicious, as is mostarda di cremona and Dijon mustard. Serve with or without the broth and boiled vegetables.

Tom Conran’s

Tom, my exceptional brother, owns a fantastic Mexican restaurant in London, Crazy Homies.We recommend drinking margueritas with this chilli for a real party.

4 tbsp vegetable oil

2kg/4 1/ 4lb minced beef

2 large onions peeled and finely chopped

3 fresh jalapeno chillies finely chopped