Pot au feu

Lay a layer of beef bones in the stock pot and surround them with the pieces of meat, left whole and uncut.

Pour 3 litres of cold water over the meat, without blanching the bones first.

Turn the heat to high and bring to the boil.

At the boil, skim off the impurities as thoroughly as possible without discarding the water.

Add 300 ml of cold water to drop the boil, bring back to the boil and skim again; repeat three times in a row until the broth is clean.

Add the aromatics: carrot chunks, celery, a piece of parsnip, a whole onion studded with cloves, and the turnip.

Bring vigorously back to the boil one last time and skim a final time.

Cover with the lid left open about two fingers wide (a spoon under it), move to the back of the stove and cook just above a simmer for about 3 hours.

After a bit more than an hour, remove and discard the aromatic vegetables so they do not absorb flavour back from the bouillon.

Continue cooking the meat on the same heat for another hour to an hour and a half.

Check the meat; once it starts to fall apart it is cooked. Turn the heat off and leave to rest. Do not overcook.

Start the potatoes in cold water with a little rock salt over high heat; from the boil cook about 20 minutes, until a knife goes in easily.

Peel and cut the carrots, put the hard vegetables at the bottom of a pot, add some of the bouillon mixed with water, top up with a little water and bring to the boil.

About 10 minutes in, add the turnips and leeks, top up with a bit more water and cook another 10 to 15 minutes.

Return the vegetable cooking juices to the bouillon; discard the bones.

After the meal, strain the bouillon through a fine mesh sieve into a clean container or saucepan, cool completely and freeze for a consomme.

Variation: freeze leftover meat for a shepherd's pie; reuse the aromatic vegetables with some broth for a vegetable soup.

Serve in a bowl: meat at the bottom, a layer of hot broth, vegetables, more meat of different cuts, more hot broth, then gherkins and parsley; serve with bread and mayonnaise.