This is a dish my mother would cook for us, and my sister reminded me of it recently. Here, I've used osso buco, with the marrow and gelatine creating a deliciously rich sauce. I've added some saffron to add a little aromatic richness. Feel free to use beef shin instead if you prefer.

Ingredients

4 tbsp of plain flour, for dusting
2 kg of osso buco
400 g of shallots, peeled
1 L of beef stock, warmed
10 cardamom pods, bruised
3 medium red peppers, deseeded and cut into chunks

4 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
4 medium oranges, zested and juiced
A pinch of saffron, steeped in 1 tbsp warm water
Olive oil, for frying
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Sprinkle the flour onto a shallow plate and season well with salt and pepper.

2. Put a large casserole on to a medium heat and add a generous splash of olive oil.

3. Coat the osso buco in the seasoned flour, then brown, in batches, in the casserole dish. Remove the browned meat onto a plate while you prepare the vegetables.

4. Add a tablespoon of oil to the casserole, then add the shallots and brown. Add the chopped red peppers and carrots and soften for a couple of minutes. Return the meat to the casserole. Pour in the orange juice and beef stock and add the orange zest, cardamom pods and two teaspoons of sea salt and a generous grind of black pepper. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook gently for 3 hours or until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.

5. Allow to cool, then remove the meat and vegetables. Take the meat off the bones and push the marrow into the sauce. Reduce the liquids until slightly thickened, then stir in the saffron and its soaking water. Return the meat and vegetables to the pan and warm gently. Serve with buttery mashed potatoes and a simple green salad.

   Note: Make it ahead, it tastes even better the next day as the flavours deepen overnight in the fridge.

   Serves 6
   Preparation time: 25 minutes
   Cooking time: approximately 4 hours