When the nights pull in, few things are more comforting than a bubbling pot of stew or a casserole simmering in the oven. This is the season of slow-cooked suppers, when salads just won’t cut it: it’s the warmth and depth of flavour that we need.
That’s when we want to cook a French-inspired cassoulet, Spanish lentil stews and the unbeatably comforting saucy meatballs.
These dishes are wonderfully versatile: frugal cuts of meat and humble beans are transformed by long, gentle cooking, joined by the seasonal best like mushrooms and squash. Whether you’re seeking a rich, meaty braise or something hearty from the store cupboard, this is just the collection of comfort foods to turn chilly nights into something to savour. So let’s fill the kitchen with gorgeous smells and gather in: it’s the stew season.
Moroccan style minced beef and chickpea stew, harira, is amazingly easy to prepare, frugal and delicious, spiced with Ras el Hanout, ‘best in shop’ spice mix. Make it as a stew to serve with rice or couscous, or as a soup – the recipe is very versatile.
Ropa vieja, stewed and shredded Cuban beef, braised with peppers, onions and tomatoes to a melting pulled beef tenderness, as tasty as it is colourful. The name means ‘old rags’ but it only refers to the way it looks, not how it tastes!
Butter beans with ham hock, a slow cooked stew of incredible flavours and richness, the ultimate comfort dish. Butter beans need soaking overnight, but what’s difficult about that?
Butter beans with ham hock
RECIPE
Venison is sustainable and good value, especially the stewing cuts. This venison casserole with mushrooms and red wine is cooked slowly in the oven and it delivers tender and succulent meat with the flavour of juniper, thyme and the wind.
It’s a quick, easy and mighty impressive kind of stew: pork and mushroom stroganoff. It’s perfect for when you want to cook an easy but special dish and can’t afford to spend a small fortune on the pricey cuts of beef from the traditional stroganoff recipe.
Lentil and chorizo stew, with ripe fresh tomatoes and lentils cooked from scratch or a 15-minute shortcut to just as wonderful spicy, hearty dish. This recipe for lentils and chorizo is a cross between a Spanish lentil stew and a Mexican chilli.
Lentil and chorizo stew
RECIPE
Easy chicken tagine with raisins and barberries, tasty and comforting, best served with rice or couscous. The tagine dish works just like a slow cooker if you use it in the oven. Alternatively use it on the hob with a heat diffuser.
Cassoulet is my favourite kind of meat and bean stew, a hearty and warming one pot dish. Traditional French cassoulet recipe with dried haricot beans, with pork and fresh duck legs, it can be cooked in a low oven or in a slow cooker. Swap duck for chicken legs if you prefer.
Hearty meatball casserole in tomato sauce, Italian style. Homemade meatballs cooked in a rich tomato sauce with extra vegetables smuggled in: peppers and courgettes. It can be served over pasta or rice, or with crusty bread.
This is my take on French veal casserole, blanquette de veau which is known as ‘blanket de veau’ in my house. Strips of veal cooked with dried wild mushrooms and lots of cream, it's deliciously rich.