Serves 4

• 1kg Oxtail
• 2tbs plain flour
• 2bs butter
• 1tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 celery stick, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 bay leaves
• Half a fresh nutmeg, grated
• 1 bottle of red wine
• Sea salt and black pepper, for seasoning

For the dumplings

• 225g self-raising flour
• Pinch salt
• 50g cold butter, cubed
• 1tbs freshly chopped thyme
• 1tbs freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 8-10 tbs cold water

Preheat your oven to 150°C and place the oxtail into a bowl and sprinkle over the plain flour and a touch of sea salt and black pepper.

Mix around the bowl to combine and then place a large casserole on the hob over a medium heat. Add the butter and then the floured oxtail pieces and brown all over.

Remove the oxtail and keep on a plate and turn down the heat a touch. Add the chopped onion, celery and carrot to the residual fat and sweat down for 10 minutes until soft. Then add the garlic and bay leaves and stir through for another minute.

Return the oxtail to the casserole and add the nutmeg and red wine, and bring up to a gentle simmer before popping the lid on a placing into the oven for three hours.

Whilst the stew is cooking, make your dumplings by putting the flour and salt into a large bowl and then rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Add the fresh herbs and mix together to form a smooth dough and shape into 8 medium-sized balls. To help them firm up some more, place them in the fridge for 30 minutes.

20-25 minutes before the end of the cooking time for the oxtail, remove the casserole from the oven, adjust the seasoning, add the dumplings, cover with the lid again and return to the oven.

If you would like to brown the tops of the dumplings a touch, simply cook with the lid off.

Serve up the stew into bowls, along with two fluffy, steamed dumplings.

And maybe some bread to mop up with!