Stew

If you're craving a comforting, old-fashioned chicken dish, this is it. Rendering the fat from the chicken skin gives the sauce its rich flavor.

"Years ago, when we were dating, my husband took me to Park Bistro in Manhattan," writes Therese Tetzel of Dallas, Texas. "To this day, we return to the restaurant every time we go to New York. Its version of coq au vin is the best I've had in the United States—similar to one we tried in Burgundy."

In Morocco, the word tagine refers to any of the country's slowly simmered meat, chicken, fish or vegetable stews that often have both savory and sweet flavors. It also refers to the earthenware dish with a conical lid in which the stew is cooked and served. Couscous or bread is a typical accompaniment.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Steamed baby potatoes and a baguette are good partners for the fish. For dessert, spoon sugared raspberries over angel food cake.

Northern Greeks, particularly those from Salonika, eat a lot of clams and mussels, usually as mezedes. Here's an easy-to-make dish from Greece's "second city" Cappetino.

Papas con Fideos This recipe is from Delia Marcus, who was taught how to feed her Gypsy husband properly by her mother-in-law. Marcus founded flamencarte.com, a referral service for flamenco-oriented visits to Seville.

This is a kind of picadillo, a typical Spanish stew. It's also a great way to use up the (usually) less popular dark meat from the turkey. Readily available pumpkin pie spice introduces a touch of sweetness — and makes a nice addition to the spice shelf. Accompany this dish with steamed rice, a basket of warm tortillas, and an arugula and red onion salad. For a Latin-style dessert, drizzle warm caramel sauce over caramel ice cream and top with some sliced bananas.

This combination of white beans, tomatoes, and cipolline is exceptionally delicious. Letting your tomatoes cook to the point where they become caramelized and start to fall apart adds sweetness and a layer of deep flavor to the dish. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 9 1/4 hr (includes soaking)

A stick-to-the-ribs-not-the-waistline chili. Great served with all the usual toppings: chopped red or green onions, chopped cilantro, shredded cheddar cheese (low-fat, of course) and nonfat yogurt.

This hearty stew was inspired by the flavors of Spain and Portugal. Because it can be made ahead, it's a perfect dish to enjoy after a day of skiing or other winter play. Offer the stew with some crusty bread and a chilled bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. Follow with the curly endive salad. For dessert, serve a seasonal fruit tart from your favorite bakery.

This can be prepared one day ahead, making the seder day much easier. Serve steamed broccoli on the side.

Begin by offering crisp breadsticks with roasted red peppers, black olives and marinated artichoke hearts on a bed of arugula. Follow the stew with apple pie.

A typical chili of the depression years consisted of cheap meat stretched by even cheaper beans. Chili remained modestly popular even when the hard times waned, until Lyndon Johnson boosted its national profile during the 1960s. Now chili is back and bigger than ever. Even with the modern addition of smoked jalapeños (chipotles), the inclusion of black beans and beer, and a stylish drizzle of lime crema, this recipe is a classic-hot, hearty and filling.

Quick, light, delicious—a spring supper in thirty minutes, including chopping and peeling. I added a little pasta to the pan stew to give it substance. You want the scallop and pea flavors to dominate, so make sure the pasta shells are thin not thick. (Names, sizes, and thickness vary from brand to brand.)And you want shells, because they will catch the juices. You can, of course, omit the pasta if you prefer.

This Swedish stew called Sjömansbiffgryta is one of the most typical family stews, which every Swede knows. This is one of those "lots of bang for the buck" types of stews. It's so simple, yet the taste it delivers is so satisfying. It is best to cook it in an enameled cast-iron casserole because it goes into a very hot oven for quite a while, and all the liquid gets absorbed and the casserole becomes a little crusty. I know it seems like an awfully long time to keep a stew in such a hot oven, but trust me, it works. You can deglaze the casserole with a bit of water if you like and pour it over the stew, which should be transferred to a serving bowl.