Once the clocks change and the evenings are dark, our bodies crave satisfying, filling dishes that provide fuel as the days get colder.

The great thing about stews and braised dishes cooked in the oven is that you can prepare them the day before, then simply re-heat them.

Dishes such as these benefit from sitting overnight to allow the flavours to develop.

Set the oven low enough, and they will cook happily for three or four hours, leaving you free to do other things.

It’s also hard to overcook them, so if you are preparing a meal for guests who have a long drive to get to you, then they are ideal, as they won’t spoil.

A good splash of wine or a glug of port always adds depth to slow cooked dishes, and the sauce created is rich and succulent with the meat juices.

Plenty of buttery mash goes well with a stew, as do seasonal vegetables such as roast carrot or parsnip.

Stews can also be cooked on the cooker top if that suits you better. The liquid tends to evaporate more quickly with this method, so make sure your dish does not run dry.

A pudding is always welcome at this time of year too. An apple crumble with custard or ice cream would fit the bill nicely.

Braised Shank of Lamb

Ingredients

4 lamb shanks

375mls red wine

2 Litres lamb stock

1 large onion, diced

2 large carrots, diced

1 stick of celery, diced

Half leek, diced

4 cloves of garlic

1 bunch of rosemary

Method

Fry the lamb shanks until golden brown, remove from the pan and brown the vegetables, then return the shanks to the pan and deglaze with the red wine, reduce by half and cover with the lamb stock, add the rosemary and bring the pan to the boil, then braise in a low oven approximately gas mark 3 or 140oc for about 2-2half hours until the meat is tender.

Remove the shanks from the pan and keep warm. Strain the stock and reduce by half to create the sauce.