Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the lamb and brown on both sides over a high heat for about six minutes. Lift out and put on a plate.

Cut the braising steak into chunky pieces, each around 4–5cm/1½–2in. Trim off any really hard fat or sinew. Season the beef really well with salt and pepper.While the beef is cooking, peel the button onions. Put the onions in a heatproof bowl and cover with just-boiled water. Leave to stand for five minutes and then drain. When the onions are cool enough to handle, trim off the root close to the end so they don’t fall apart and peel off the skin. In a separate frying pan, heat the remaining oil and brown the cubes of lamb on all sides then add the browned meat to the casserole dish. De-glaze the frying pan with ¼ pint of tomato juice and add these juices to the pan.

Preheat the oven to 150C/130C Fan/Gas2. Drain the beef from the marinade into a colander over a glass bowl. Reserve the marinade and set aside. My view is yes, flavour is sacrificed to convenience, if all you are prepared to do is bung the ingredients in an earthenware pot and hope for the best. I've been putting mine to the test over the past few months and one of the first things I realised is that a little preparation is needed for good results. Meat needs browning, pulses need soaking, vegetables need to be sautéed first (as apparently 10 hours of cooking won't always render them soft). Place the beef in a large bowl and pour over the wine marinade. Cover and place in the fridge overnight. This is known as a cook marinade.Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large saucepan. Add the carrot, onion and celery and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the wine, thyme, garlic and 2 bay leaves. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Using a rolling pin, lift the pastry and place it over the top of the pie dish. Trim and crimp the edges with your fingers and thumb.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan. Pat dry the cubes of beef from the marinade mixture using absorbent kitchen paper. Add half of the beef to the pan and cook until brown on all sides. Remove the beef and transfer to the casserole dish with the bacon, shallots and vegetables. Repeat with the remaining beef and add to the casserole dish. Add a touch more oil to the frying pan and fry the chopped onion over a low heat for 5–6 minutes, stirring often until softened. Stir the garlic into the pan and cook for 1 minute more. Pour a little more oil into the pan in which the beef was browned and fry the bacon for 2–3 minutes, or until the fat crisps and browns. Scatter the bacon over the meat. When you are almost ready to serve, boil the carrots and turnips for eight to ten minutes; steam the cabbage for eight to ten minutes and the green leek tops (but don’t mix with the cabbage) for the last three minutes, until all the vegetables are just tender. Stir in 2-3 large spoonfuls of the reserved marinade mixture to deglaze or remove any sediment from the pan. Pour into the casserole dish.Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the beef in three batches over a medium–high heat until nicely browned on all sides, turning every now and then and adding more oil if necessary. As soon as the beef is browned, transfer to a large flameproof casserole. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp of argan (or vegetable) oil in a large casserole dish. Add the grated onion and the remaining spice mix and cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes so that the onions are soft but not coloured. Add the crushed garlic for the final 3 minutes. The weather is relentlessly chilly at the moment, and I can barely bring myself to look out of the window, let alone venture outside. So instead I've been barricading myself into the kitchen and warming up with some hearty grub – this time, with the aid of a slow cooker, rather than my trusty pressure cooker.

Halfway through cooking, heat the remaining oil and butter in a large frying pan and cook the mushrooms until brown. Add the brandy and cook for a few minutes. Remove from the heat. Add salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce and allow to cool completely. Place the cooked meat mixture into a pie dish. Heat 25g/1oz butter and 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan. Add the bacon and cook until golden and brown. Add the shallots and transfer to a large casserole dish.

Brush the surface with the beaten egg mixture and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden-brown and puffed. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan, and brown the beef all over. (You may need to do this in batches.) Set aside, then brown the kidneys on both sides in the same pan. Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the remaining butter and mushrooms to the pan and cook for 2–3 minutes over a fairly high heat until golden brown, turning often. Add oil to a pan, then add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until starting to brown. Add the lamb and stir for another couple of minutes to brown the outside. Add the carrots, yellow pepper, tomatoes, mint, cinnamon, cumin, chilli flakes, 200ml water and salt. What is tagine stew?