Three Approaches to Stew
No one can settle the age-old discussion of the difference between soup and stew (not to mention chowder, bisque, consomme, etc.) but as the late M.F.K. Fisher notes in How to Cook a Wolf, making stew is "a satisfying procedure, and can do no harm to man or beast. There is a different recipe for everyone who has ever thought of making one, but in general the rules are simple...". There is certainly no lack of good stew recipes and a bonus with each of the ones included in this week's column is they are hearty enough to make a meal with just the addition of a salad or French bread. Even if you are only cooking for two, make the full recipe since the leftovers will provide lunch for the following day. Another of Ms. Fisher's observations about stew, and one noted in the recipes, is that following the initial cooking, "let the whole thing rest for a few hours...a day is better [...not better, best]..."
