You can’t beat the English seaside in the winter! I love walking by a choppy sea in the freezing cold, building up an appetite. I love it so much that a group of friends and I hired a property on the Kent coast in the middle of January. Romantic notions of open log fires, full-bodied red wine, and hearty stews.

It was my turn to bring the first night meal so I had a look around for something I could prepare in advance, over a couple of days, but end up taking in one pot to warm through. Credit for this goes to Jamie Oliver and his Winter nights chilli. This is more of a warming stew than a traditional chilli, but it definitely hit the brief.

There is a bit of effort required to make this dish, you are using several techniques to build flavours. There’s a spice rub, roasting vegetables, soaking mushrooms, slow braising and even fire!

You can make this dish in one go, over a day, or split into sections several days apart. One tip, read the recipe well and check the size of your pot. I missed the part that said “serves 12” and only just had a pot that fitted the meat, as you will see.

Step 1 - Get spicy

Add the spices to a pestle and mortar
Add salt and pepper and grind to a powder
TIP: a spice mill makes light work of this task
Divide the mix into two - one half for the meat, one half for the squash

Step 2 - Soak your ‘shrooms

Tip the dried mushrooms into a small bowl
Pour on boiling water to cover
Let the mushrooms soak for 20 minutes
Strain the mushrooms through a sieve, keeping the precious liquid
Strain the liquid through kitchen roll to remove any grit and keep the liquid

Step 3 - Prepare your meat

Heat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas 2
If your butcher hasn’t already, take the bones and skin off the pork belly
TIP: save this to make decent crackling another time!
Coat all sides of the pork belly and beef brisket with olive oil and then massage in the spice rub
In a solid deep casserole heat some olive oil and brown every side of each piece of meat
This step makes a real difference to the end result, lock in some caramelised meat flavour now!
Remove the meat to a plate to rest whilst you prepare the stewing liquor

Step 4 - Stew!

Add some more olive oil to the same pan and tip in the roughly chopped onion
As the onion sweats and releases its juices use these to deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up all of those lovely dark bits of flavour
Fry the onion until it is lightly caramelised
Roughly chop the porcini mushrooms and add to the pot with the mushroom liquid and balsamic vinegar
Tip in the cannellini beans, liquid and all, straight from the tin
Tip in the tomatoes and juice, crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pan
Bring to the boil and add the meats back in
Top with greaseproof paper
TIP: a ready cut cake liner fits perfectly
Cover with foil and clamp a lid tight shut
Pop in the oven for about 5 hours

If you are making this stew in advance you can let the meat cool in the stew and put in the fridge. This will keep for a number of days, and the flavours will only develop and grow.

Alternatively you can prepare the vegetables for the final stage whilst the meat is cooling.

Step 5 - Roast your squash

Turn the oven up to 190°C/375°F/gas 5
Top and tail the butternut squash
Cut into generous 4cm chunks, this may feel big, but trust - finding a piece of this butternut squash on your plate is a real treat
TIP: No need to peel, the skin adds extra flavour
In a bowl toss the squash with the remaining spice mix and a generous glug of olive oil
Tip on to a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 50 minutes until golden and slightly charred at the edges

Step 6 - Char your peppers

There are many ways to roast peppers, you can char them under a hot grill, pop them in a hot oven, or my personal favourite - fire!
Using an open gas flame (and a little care!) blacken the skins of the large peppers and the chillis
When each is charred put them in a bowl and cover with clingfilm
As the peppers cool down the steam with loosen the skins
Skin the peppers, deseed them and cut into big chunks
Skin and deseed the chillies and cut into smaller pieces

Step 7 - Assemble the stew

Carefully remove the meat from the cooking liquid
Using clean hands shred the brisket into a very large bowl
Shred or cut the pork belly into small chunks and add to the beef
Pour over the cooking liquid, beans and tomatoes
Add the roast squash, peppers, chillies and a generous handful of chopped coriander
Give a good stir and season to your own taste
Return everything to a big pot and heat through
Serve with rice, coleslaw or on its own with sour cream and chopped coriander