Trim of excess fat from the beef and wipe dry with absorbent paper. Place beef in a casserole dish over a moderate heat. Let it brown in its own fat, turning as it cooks. Season well with the salt and pepper. Once brown all over, remove beef and set aside.

Pour all fat from the casserole and add the sliced onions. Put the beef on the bed of onions and add the bay leaf and allspice berries. Cover and allow the meat to ‘simmer’ in its own juices and those of the onions for 1 hour. After this time, turn the beef over and simmer for a further 2 hours, basting the meat occasionally. Make sure that the heat is not too high during this slow cooking process.

Once this simmering process has finished, remove the beef onto a plate. Blend the cornflour with a little cold water, then pour into the stock in the casserole. Stir will to blend. Bring the stock to a gentle boil and add further seasoning if required. Lower the heat again, place the beef in the gravy and simmer for another hour, or until tender.

Garnish with the parsley just before serving.