This stew recipe is designed specifically to soften tougher cuts of meat; we recommend the shoulder. The recipe calls for an overnight marinade, and will need to cook for a couple of hours as well. The addition of dates, fennel, and Madeira gives the meat a sweet flavor, which combines beautifully with pungent cloves and allspice berries. This is an excellent winter meal, but because of the heavenly aromas, it is a good thing to eat in the fall or early spring as well. We like to serve the stew with Mashed Potatoes with Celery Root.