Stew

At the restaurant, orzo (rice-shaped pasta) is served alongside the gravy-rich lamb.

Fricot à la Poule This dish is a variation of a stew served at Étoile de Mer, a traditional Acadian restaurant in Mont-Carmel. Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

Talk about simple stews! You don't have to brown the meat — and the stew cooks in an easy hour.

Serve this flavorful dish with corn bread or crusty French bread.

Every region of Italy with a coastline has a characteristic fish soup. This Roman version is spicy with garlic and hot chile. It contains a minimum of liquid, so it is more like a stew than a soup. Use whatever fish varieties are available with the exception of strong-flavored oily fish, which would overwhelm the delicate shellfish.

A classic of the Balearic Islands, where lobster is found in abundance, this stew (known as caldereta) is intensely flavorful and fun to eat. Live lobster is essential, since the tomalley (liver) is a key ingredient. Serve the stew with plenty of crusty country-style bread.

For a special touch, serve a fresh tomato chutney (recipe follows) alongside.

Steve Delaney, West Chester, Pa.
"My recipe reflects the Caribbean influences in the foods of Miami, where I lived for many years."

Posto, cardamom pods, and whole dried red chiles are available at Penzeys (800-741-7787; penzeys.com) and Kalustyan's (800-352-3451; kalustyans.com).

The lavish efforts involved — the vegetables are braised, then marinated, and finally sautéed — result in a succulent savory casserole that's spicy with pepper and juniper berries and sweet and sour with cherry nectar and vinegar; each vegetable gives the sweet and sour a slightly different twist. The chestnuts, cooked with salt pork, are particularly wonderful, salty and satisfying. Begin preparations at least 7 hours ahead of serving, since the vegetables must marinate for 6 hours.

Here's a chunky, hearty beef stew that's just right on a cold winter day.

Ask your butcher to cut the ham hocks.

For a great one-dish meal, serve this rich stew over rice. If you want to make it even more authentic, use couscous, a small grain-shaped pasta that is often found in North African and Middle Eastern cooking. It's available at many supermarkets and specialty foods stores.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Makes use of the microwave oven.

There must be as many versions of this—Ireland's national dish—as there are cooks. One thing all recipes should say is that the stew is to be cooked slowly until the lamb is meltingly tender. This stew is the ideal dish to return to after a day in the open air, as it can be made ahead and reheated while cook and guests enjoy the hot punch.