Pot-au-feu

Brown the beef bones with the chopped carrot and onion in the upper part of a 450 degree Fahrenheit oven for 30 to 40 minutes, tossing frequently and basting them with their own fat.

Jab whole cloves into pieces of onion.

Tie the parsley, thyme, bay leaf and garlic into a rinsed cheesecloth as an herb bouquet, not too tight.

Put the bones, vegetables, herb bouquet, leek and celery into the biggest pot.

Drain the fat from the roasting pan, add water, put it over heat and deglaze, scraping up everything stuck to the pan, then pour that into the pot.

Fill with water to four inches above the ingredients.

Bring to a simmer for five minutes and skim the grey scum that rises. Add the salt.

Turn down the heat, cover partially and simmer about eight hours, skimming the fat and seasoning as it goes. He ran it about 15 hours.

Take about four cups of the stock out and set it aside for the vegetables.

Tie each cut of beef separately with kitchen twine, leaving extra string, since they finish at different times.

Plunge the beef into the stock, removing some vegetables to make room, and tie the strings around the pot handle.

Cook at a slow bubble, a quiet simmer, until the beef is tender enough to poke with a fork. Julia says two to four hours; the shank and short rib took just over two and the chuck about three.

Cook the vegetables separately so they do not go mushy and so the stock does not take on their flavour.

Put the turnips and parsnips in a saucepan, cover with half an inch of the reserved stock, cover and cook over medium heat 15 minutes.

Put the carrots and pearl onions in another saucepan, cover with about half an inch of stock, lid on, 30 minutes.

Boil the peeled halved potatoes in the beef stock until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Cover the bottom of a dutch oven with beef stock, set a colander of cabbage wedges on top, pour a little stock over the cabbage, salt and pepper it, cover and steam 15 minutes. It took 25.

Rest the last piece of beef 15 minutes.

Carve the shank and short rib off the bone, keeping any marrow, and slice the chuck.

Strain the stock through a sieve, degrease it through a fat separator, return it to the pot, salt it and bring to a simmer.

Arrange the beef on a platter surrounded by the vegetables, spoon the stock over everything and scatter chopped parsley.