Winter warmers

Given that it was 30C in Kenya, and approaching summer when I left Sydney, it's surprising that I'm surviving the cold in London right now! It is the weather for stews and casseroles, and I also wanted to cook something new for a change, so I experimented with an oxtail casserole. I would also like to claim that it was a credit-crunch inspired choice, but it was bloody difficult tracking down oxtail in central London, and stewing steak is probably a lot cheaper.

Oxtail cooked in Guinness (serves 3-4)
1.5 kg oxtail, chopped into inch pieces
2 onions, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled but kept whole
Flour
1 bottle Guinness
1 pint beef stock
6 bay leaves
Salt and pepper

1. Dust the oxtail in seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Brown the oxtail pieces in a hot pan on all sides to seal the meat, taking care not to overcrowd the pan

2. Remove the oxtail and place into a large casserole dish. Back in the frying pan, add the onions, garlic and carrots and fry on a medium heat for 5 or so mins.

3. Deglaze the pan with the Guinness, and pour the whole lot into the casserole. Pour over the beef stock until most of the oxtail is covered. Tuck in the bay leaves.

4. Put into a very low oven (Gas Mark 1, around 140C), and let it cook for 3 to 3.5 hours.

5. Serve with mash, lots of it!

Not the prettiest thing in the world, but so lovely on a cold night. We also had a visit from the local ginger cat that night (who is very fat and spoiled by the looks of things) - we offered some of the scraps of bone after we were done, and she turned her nose up at it!!