Everyone should know how to make a good stew.

A good stew is like an abstract painting. Both favor expression over technique; neither require advanced training or technology. All you need is a good sense of what works, which (in both cases) takes practice. Soups and stews are one of the easiest ways to achieve maximum culinary impressiveness. All you need is a basic knowledge of stew components, the ability to perform said stewing, and a few hours of waiting time.

As the cold weather slowly seeps into Paris, stews and hot chocolate are making for some cozy evenings after a long day of class and commuting. Last year I posted a recipe for lamb stew, which we make consistently around here. But lamb can really be swapped for nearly any protein, and as I considered this, I realized that the basics for soup-making are literally always the same. So here goes:

Stew Basics

Meat with a bone in it (at least a pound)
Onions
Carrots
Celery
Leeks
Herbs/spices
Water

Seriously. That's all you need to make a stew of any kind. After this, the abstract part comes in. This is where you can add some flair, like a starch (noodles, potatoes, beans, sweet potatoes, rice) or play with the seasoning (herbs de provence, thyme, bay leaves, garlic, quatre epices, red pepper flakes, paprika) add extra veg (green onions, turnips, asparagus, squash...anything in season) and mix in complementary proteins (bacon, sausage, seafood).

We usually base our soups off of what's on sale at the store, and this week there were some huge fatty chunks of joint-in lamb leg on sale. We also added some white and red beans just to change it up and give the soup a little more texture. After six hours in the stew, the bones slipped out and we were left with a thick, rich, melt-in-your-mouth, herby stew that warmed you from the inside out. Here's the recipe we created:

Lamb Bean Stew

At least 1 lb of bone-in lamb meat (any cut, we used leg)
1.5 cups each white and red beans
1 large celery stalk, chopped
2 large carrots, cubed
1 leek, stem only diced
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, diced
1 bay leaf and 4 sprigs fresh thyme, bundled
1 tsp herbs de provence
3 tbsp butter (or other fat source...duck fat, oil)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

In a large pot, sauté celery, carrots, leek, and onion in butter on medium-high until translucent
Add garlic and herbs/salt & pepper and sear meat until browned
Add enough water to cover ingredients and bring to a boil
Reduce to simmer and let stew, stirring occasionally, for at least 2-3 hours (optimally 4-6)

Exceptional food is just another one of the many reasons Paris is so adored, and this comes not just from a culture centered around cooking and eating, but from a cultural emphasis on quality of ingredients. Markets pop up every day of the week in every neighborhood, everything (even the processed breakfast cereal) proudly proclaims "fabriquée en France," they have some of the strictest regulations on chemical and antibiotic use in produce and meat, and they sell primarily seasonal ingredients. Even the biggest supermarket chains are stocked regularly with what many Americans would consider "exotic" ingredients: foie gras, chicken liver, pig's feet, duck breast, whole rabbit, squab, cow tongue, venison. And of course, lamb. After a day of braving the wind and rain in Paris, this stew warmed me from the inside out. The lamb literally melted off the bone, the broth was perfectly salty and satisfying, and the vegetables burst with flavor. Living cheap as a student on the outskirts of Paris, this was even better - the whole pot cost less than €10, and took less than 20 minutes of actual work in the kitchen.

Lamb Stew

{serves 4}

ingredients

3 tablespoons butter

2 large carrots, cubed

1 large onion, chopped

1 large zucchini, cubed

4 sprigs fresh thyme & 2 bay leaves, bundled

4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

4 small-medium lamb chops

1 tablespoon flour

3-4 cups beef stock (depending on how much broth you want)

freshly ground black pepper

method

In a large pot, sautée onions, zucchini, carrots, and garlic in butter over medium heat until soft. Add flour and mix well. Add stock, lamb, herb bundle, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then set to simmer on low for at least 2 hours. Before serving, shred the meat off the bones (should melt off easily).