I bought 3kg of beef bones in order to make a stock, I actually wanted veal bones but you sometimes cannot have everything you want.

If your bones are too clean, i.e. they have no meat on them at all then add 250g of a cheap cut of beef. And if you do have a veal bone lurking in the back of your freezer then add that too which will add gelantonous loviness.

Firstly, turn oven on to 200°C.

Place the bones in a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, a good grind of black peppercorns and cook for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, roughly chop into large chunks, an onion or two (keep skins on), two large unpeeled carrots, and 2 or 3 celery sticks. Horizontally, slice one head of garlic in half.

After 30 minutes add the vegetables to the pan together a good dollop of tomato purée, give everything a good mix then roast for another 30 minutes.

Add all contents of the roasting pan to a large stockpot, making sure you scrape up the juicy bits on the bottom of the pan.

Add a couple of bay leaves, a spring of thyme then add fresh water to cover the bones.

On the stove top bring up to a boil then turn down to its lowest heat (use a diffuser if necessary) so that you have a gentle plop, plop…

Leave for up to 6 hours, skimming off any scum that forms on the top of the liquid.

When cool remove the bones. Place a muslin cloth over a fine sieve and decant into a large bowl. Discard the vegetables.

The stock is now ready or you can add it back to the stockpot to reduce and concentrate.

This stock went on to become the base for a rustic leek soup with aceite verde — six hours of simmering rewarded with a bowl of something very simple and very good.

This beef bone stock recipe is part of my Stock & Gravy collection. Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef.