Gardiane la camargue recipe: beef stew with black olives

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 4 pounds oxtail (weighed with bone) or 3 pounds beef shank, well trimmed of fat and cut into 2- inch pieces (ask the butcher to do this for you)
• 2 medium onions cut into rounds
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 bottle of full bodied red wine such as a Cotes du Rhone
• 5 sprigs fresh parsley, 5 sprigs fresh thyme, and 4 sprigs fresh savory or tarragon 2-3 bay leaves
• Peel from 1 orange, without the white pith, in one long spiral (optional)
• 1 small to medium-size onion, peeled and studded with whole cloves (optional)
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 cup chopped imported pitted green olives
• 1 cup chopped pitted black Niçoise olives
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste