Stir fry the beef, add the vegetables and cook till tender, then pour the Guinness and reduce by half. Add the beef stock and herbs and simmer very slowly for between an hour and an hour and a half. Serve with the champ potato and honey roast carrot and parsnip.    TIP This stew is always better made one day in advance!   

  Sandwich the rounds of sponge cake together with homemade raspberry jam. If you use trifle sponges, and sandwich them in pairs. Next, make the custard. Whisk the eggs with the sugar and vanilla extract. Heat the milk to the ‘shivery’; stage and add it to the egg mixture, whisking all the time. Put into a heavy saucepan and stir over gentle heat until the custard coats the back of the wooden spoon lightly. Don’t let it boil or it will curdle. Cut the sponge into 2cm (¾ inch) slices and use these to line the bottom of a 1.7 litre (3 pints) glass bowl, sprinkling generously with half the sherry as you go along. Pour in half of the custard and then add another layer of sponge. Sprinkle with the rest of the sherry and spread the rest of the custard over the top. Cover and leave for 5 or 6 hours, or preferably overnight in a cold larder or fridge, to mature. Before serving, spread softly whipped cream over the top or pipe rosettes if you like and decorate with cherries or crystallised violets and large diamonds of angelica. Scatter with a few toasted flaked almonds.   Note For a posher version, line the glass bowl with slices of Swiss roll.   Buy Book