Barley is a wonderful, healthy and tasty way to thicken a delicious soup or stew such as this one.

Bollito misto, which translates as "boiled mixed meats", is a traditional North Italian dish served on New Year's Eve and other special occasions.

The stew is best made just before serving. If you want to freeze it, cook it up until the end of step 2. Add the mushrooms after reheating thawed stew. Note

A quick and delicious chicken, chorizo and okra gumbo, a dish that originated in southern Louisiana.

A tender and flavourful beef brisket perfect for warming the soul.

Big Italian flavours take this stew to the next level.

A rich and warming leek, bean and mushroom bake infused with red wine, passata and fresh thyme.

A rich and hearty meal to warm up with this winter. The creamy polenta base add's another layer of indulgence to this already decadent dish.

Tender and slow-cooked beef in red wine sauce with roasted tomatoes from Australian Women's Weekly.

An rich and aromatic stew of lamb, white bean, tomato and thyme.

A hearty winter stew with beef, black bean and corn from Australian Women's Weekly.

You could use lamb leg or shoulder, cut into chunks, instead of shanks. Note

This is a hearty wintry recipe, similar to a Lebanese recipe known as mejadra (mujaddara). The lentil and rice mixture could be made ahead and frozen. Thaw in the fridge overnight, or reheat in a microwave oven. You might need to add a little more stock or water to bring the stew to the consistency […]

This is a traditional Thai curry popular in Muslim communities located in the south of Thailand.

Chorizo is a sausage made of coarsely ground pork and highly seasoned with garlic and chilli.

Navarin is a classic French ragoût of lamb or mutton.

Delight in this warming, hearty Italian inspired hotpot with juicy chicken, delicious vegies and plenty of filling, fibre-filled beans. The fennel adds a nice aniseed flavour, but is not overpowering.

If you have an electric pressure cooker you won’t need to reduce the heat to stabilise pressure, your cooker will automatically stabilise itself. Always check with the manufacturer’s instructions before using. Note

A flavour-packed lamb and leek braise from Australian Women's Weekly.

Rich and tender neck chop and lentil stew with a bright and fluffy kumara and carrot mash.

Served with creamy mashed potato and gravy, this lamb shank stew is comfort food at its finest and yet fancy enough to serve up to guests.

Soft and tender braised lamb with sweet carrots from Recipes+.

The classic combination of lamb and kumara works beautifully in this delicious Moroccan stew.

This easy, scrumptious dish makes a wonderful family meal.

Steaming couscous over the top of the simmering tagine gives light, fluffy results. Note

With a crunchy almond couscous and flavoursome apricot sauce, this Moroccan chicken stew might just be your new family favourite.

Both kids and adults will love this Mexican-inspired mince dish with cheesy polenta and a dollop of sour cream.

This French classic is comfort food at its finest.

A traditional French vegetable stew with delicious ham, salami and cheese croque monsieurs.

A traditional North African dish, this vegetable tagine is spiced with cumin, coriander, caraway seeds and more, and is divine served with a fragrant lemon couscous.

There are big flavours in this rich Moroccan fish stew.

Add some gourmet elements to the beloved Aussie pie with chunks of steak, succulent vegetables and crisp pastry crusts.

As a sea-faring people for most of their history, the Portuguese know a thing or two about seafood and what to do with it, as this Portuguese-style seafood stew demonstrates.

This lamb, eggplant and prune tagine is rich, unctuous and utterly delicious. Best served on a pile of fluffy couscous with preserved lemon.

This dish is sophisticated enough to serve at a dinner party.

Slowcooked Moroccan-style vegetables that will melt in your mouth.

This sweet red wine stew with tender beef cheeks and carrots can be made in no time with a pressure cooker.

These slow-roasted beef shanks will melt in your mouth.

A warming and delicious spicy prawn and bean hotpot from Australian Women's Weekly.

You could use beef sirloin or rib eye (scotch fillet) instead of the rump steak. Sukiyaki beef is available fresh and frozen from Asian grocery stores and selected supermarkets. A traditional sukiyaki pan is available from Japanese stores. Note

Many countries have similar kinds of dishes: Spain has a cocido with chickpeas, the French have the pot-au-feu - the origins are always peasant food where cheap cuts of meat and seasonal vegetables are cooked together in one big pot.

Ask the butcher to chop the rabbit into pieces for you. Note

A rich and delicious sausage and cannellini bean bake from Australian Women's Weekly.

An authentic Italian ragù alla bolognese originating from the historic capital of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy, Bologna.

Suitable to freeze at the end of step 2. If the potatoes are very small, halve them rather than cutting them into quarters. Note

Rich and delicious Italian-style stew with crushed tomatoes and borlotti beans.

Verjuice is available in delicatessens and supermarkets; it’s usually found in the vinegar aisle. It’s made from unripe grapes and has a slightly acidic taste. Ask the butcher to cut the rabbit into pieces. Note

From the humble baked bean to the chickpea, legumes contain healthy components linked with protection against diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart problems.

Caldeirada is a Portuguese fish stew that varies from region to region, but usually contains a variety of fish along with potato, onion and tomato or capsicum.

This recipe is for lovers of spicy seafood.

Traditional to North Africa, a tagine is an aromatic casserole, usually cooked and served in an earthenware dish, also called a tagine.

A popular Moroccan spicy tomato stew - the addition of eggs make this a great breakfast dish to share.

A French main-dish stew with tender veal and creamy mushrooms from Australian Women's Weekly.

Ragoût, which comes from the French verb, ragoûter, meaning `to stimulate the appetite', does exactly that in this dish.

This pork and rosemary meatball dish is packed full of Italian flavours, even down to the angel hair pasta.

A rich, slowcooked French casserole with lamb, white beans, streaky bacon and crushed tomatoes.

A subtle and delicately flavoured rabbit stew with potato and sage that will melt in your mouth.

A healthy and rich vegetable dish with smoky baked beans and tomato from Australian Women's Weekly.

Spice up your night with this Mexican chilli con carne with guacamole.

This is a great recipe for entertaining in the cooler months. Lamb shoulder chops and chump chops are also suitable for this recipe. Note

This Italian-style seafood, bean and tomato stew has a delicious combination of flavours and textures.

Packed full of goodness, this delicious seafood stew is complemented beautifully by these tasty homemade garlic croutons. A real Winter favourite!

Hearty and warming, this delicious stew is packed full of fresh seafood to nourish your body and soul.

A hearty cassoulet with delicate chicken breast and merguez, a spicy North African sausage.

Not suitable to freeze. If you have one, try using a mandoline to cut the potatoes into paper-thin slices, otherwise, use a very sharp knife. We used a merlot-style wine in this recipe. Note

This recipe is cooked in a slow cooker on low over 8 &frac12 hours. Note

If you have an electric pressure cooker you won’t need to reduce the heat to stabilise pressure, your cooker will automatically stabilise itself. Always check with the manufacturer’s instructions before using. Recipe suitable to freeze. Note

A classic hearty chicken stew that originated in southern Louisiana.

Deliciously tender pork, fennel and olive ragout that can be done in a pressure cooker in no time.

An exquisite, slowcooked Greek-style dish with dill and lemon lamb shoulder.

With the help of a pressure cooker, this Mexican dish of tender chicken & chorizo sausages with kidney beans can be whipped up in no time.

Ratatouille can be made a day ahead; store, covered, in the refrigerator. It is great on its own, or served with pasta. In a Provencale dialect, touiller means to stir and crush, thus the name ratatouille perfectly describes this rich vegetable stew. Note

Delicious rich and hearty European goat and capsicum stew from Australian Women's Weekly.

A Moroccan-style chicken stew packed full of almonds, raisins, ginger, cinnamon and white wine.

Rich and smoky Spanish-style beans with chorizo from Australian Women's Weekly.

Some butchers sell a pork and veal mixture, this is fine to use here,­ buy 625g. Note

A bright, colourful and fragrant saffron vegetable tagine with cinnamon and preserved lemon.