Braised veal with cherries

1. Dry the veal with kitchen paper – it’s much easier to brown it if it’s dry. Remove any visible bits of fat.

2. Heat some of the oil and butter in a heavy-bottomed casserole and brown the veal in batches, removing (and covering) each batch as it’s done. Add more oil and butter as you need them. Add the onions to the pan and sauté them until they’re soft, adding more oil and butter if you need it. Season and add the flour and the paprika. Stir this for a couple of minutes to help cook the flour.

3. Pour in the Madeira or port and add the cinnamon and cloves. Reduce the liquid by about half, then add the stock. Bring to the boil, stirring a little, then put the meat back into the pan, along with any resting juices. Add the cherries, honey and bay leaves. Season and turn the heat right down.

4. Cover the pan and cook over a very low heat for 1 hour 10 minutes-1 hour 30 minutes, until the veal is cooked through and tender. Remove the lid in the later stages so the liquid around the meat can reduce. If, by the end of the cooking time, the juices are too thin, remove the solids and simmer the juices until they are thicker. Put everything back in and warm through. Season, add the dill or parsley and serve with the potato gratin and cabbage.