Warm a large frying pan (or large pan if you’re cooking this stew on the hob) on a medium heat for 2 mins, then add 1 tbsp oil and the diced braising steak. Fry for 8 mins, turning now and then, till the beef is browned all over.

While the beef fries, peel and finely chop the onion. Trim the roots and top 3cm off the leek. Halve it and rinse out any grit, then finely slice the leek. From the point on, follow the method for either the slow cooker or the hob.

In the slow cooker^ Scoop the beef out of the frying pan and into a 3½ ltr slow cooker. Add the onion and leek.

Trim the dry ends off the celery sticks and finely slice them. Trim and peel the carrots, then thickly slice them. Peel and roughly chop the potatoes. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Add all the veg and the garlic to the slow cooker.

Tip in the tin of chopped tomatoes and crumble in the beef stock cube. Add 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, the bouquet garni and 4 whole cloves. Pour in 500ml boiling water and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to mix, then pop on the lid and set the slow cooker to medium. Cook for 8-10 hrs, or go for a faster cook at high for 5-6 hrs or slower for 10-12 hrs at low.

When the stew is 30 mins away from being cooked, quarter the cabbage and slice out the thick pieces of core. Finely slice the leaves. Warm 1 tbsp oil in a clean frying pan or wok and add the cabbage. Season with salt and pepper. Stir and fry for 2-3 mins to pick up a little colour, then pour in 100ml boiling water and steam-fry for 3-4 mins till dark green and just tender.

Divide the cabbage between four warm bowls. Fish the bouquet garni out of the stew and taste it. Add a little more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Ladle the stew over the cabbage (discarding the cloves if you spot them) and garnish with parsley leaves to serve.

On the hob^ Scoop the beef out of the pan and set aside on a plate. Add the onion and leek to the pan with 2 tbsp water. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and fry, stirring often, for 8 mins till the veg have started to soften.

While the veg fry, trim the dry ends off the celery sticks and finely slice them. Trim and peel the carrots, then thickly slice them. Peel and roughly chop the potatoes. Peel and finely chop the garlic.

Return the beef to the pan with any juices from the plate. Add all the chopped veg and the garlic. Tip in the tin of chopped tomatoes and crumble in the beef stock cube. Add 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, the bouquet garni and 4 whole cloves. Pour in 1 ltr boiling water and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to mix, then pop on the lid and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 1½ hrs till the beef is tender.

When the stew is 30 mins away from being cooked, quarter the cabbage and slice out the thick pieces of core. Finely slice the leaves. Warm 1 tbsp oil in a clean frying pan or wok and add the cabbage. Season with salt and pepper. Stir and fry for 2-3 mins to pick up a little colour, then pour in 100ml boiling water and steam-fry for 3-4 mins till dark green and just tender.

Divide the cabbage between four warm bowls. Fish the bouquet garni out of the stew and taste it. Add a little more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Ladle the stew over the cabbage (discarding the cloves if you spot them) and garnish with parsley leaves to serve.