I looked out of the bedroom window this morning at the heavy hoar on the grass and thought to meself: "pot roast."

I had a hunk of brisket weighing in at one kilo. Now I know you yanks like to cook a brisket weighing about ten pounds, but there are only two of us, and my hunk yields enough for two meals.

So I get my smaller Le Creuset, whack up the heat, melt a big knob of butter and brown the meat all round. I stick that to one side and then fry for five minutes some big hunks of carrot, celery and onion. I put the beef on top of that and insert into the pot a bouquet garni (a bunch of fresh parsley, bay leaf and lemon thyme, all tied with string), and add half a pint of beef stock from a cube, half a pint of the soaking water from a handful of dried porcini and half a pint of some home-made veg stock I happened to have lying around. Something of a variable feast, but I reckon you can use whatever liquids you happen to have. It just needs to come well above half-way up the piece of meat. A touch of seasoning, then at least four hours in a very low oven (120C, yanks go figure).

We had that with me home-grown, well-frosted parsnips, roast spuds, cauliflower and a few carrot batons. The gravy in the pot was exquisite, though I extracted enough for two and thickened it ever so slightly with flour. It was a feast to remember, and I have enough beef left for tomorrow with a very buttery jacket spud and some roasted tomatoes.

Good living!