Soups and Stews

Nothing warms the soul like a hot bowl of soup or a comforting stew, slow-simmered on the stove. Soups and stews can be among the simplest of creations, but their often complex flavor can belie the ease of their creation. Every pot is endlessly customizable — substitute an ingredient here, subtract one there, add a new one this time — so each pot takes on its maker's personality. Read more »

Ärtsoppa

(Swedish yellow pea soup)

Ärtsoppa (AIRT-soh-puh) is a thick yellow pea soup traditionally served on Thursday evenings in Sweden, along with ham or sausages and pancakes with jam. A similar soup made with green split peas and called hernekeitto is eaten in Finland. Read more »

Ash-e Jow

(Persian barley bean soup)

This thick soup, or ash, is chock full of nutrients and fiber. A mix of beans, lentils, barley and vegetables, ash-e jow is slow-simmered to make a rich, nourishing, rib-sticking dish. Eliminate the meat and use vegetable stock or water for a great vegetarian meal. Read more »

Asopao de Gandules

(Puerto Rican rice and pigeon pea stew)

Asopao is a Puerto Rican word for a stew thickened with rice, and asopaos of many kinds are very popular in Puerto Rican cuisine. Asopao de gandules is a nice vegetarian version. Read more »

Beef and Okra

(Jamaican beef and okra stew)

This recipe makes a simple meat and vegetable stew with tons of flavor. It's a typically Caribbean concoction using that favorite vegetable import from Africa — okra. Try using goat instead of beef if you can find it. Read more »

Bigos

(Polish hunter's stew of meat, cabbage and sauerkraut)

The national dish of Poland, bigos is an amazing melange of meats and sausages slowly braised over a bed of mellow sauerkraut. Bigos is a popular cold-weather dish in Poland where it provided a handy way of using up cabbage that was put up before winter set in. Bigos is a favorite meal for the day after Christmas and is also popular in Lithuania and Belarus. Read more »

Bográcsgulyás

(Hungarian beef and pepper stew)

Bográcsgulyás (boh-GRACH goo-YAHSH), or goulash, is one of the classics of Hungarian cuisine. Variations of this basic dish are popular throughout Central Europe. Bogrács is Hungarian for "kettle", and gulyás was originally the word for "cowboy." Today goulash refers to both the herdsmen and the stew they first cooked in their kettles. Read more »

Borshch

(Ukrainian Russian beet soup)

Borshch (борщ) is one of the classic soups of the Russian household. Ukrainians, however, swear that it was invented by them. Regardless, there are countless variations throughout the Slavic region of Europe, both with meat and without. Most, but not all, have a base of beets. Read more »

Bouillabaisse

(French Provençal seafood stew)

Bouillabaisse is one of the great dishes of French Provençal cuisine. The recipe looks intimidating, doesn't it? Well it shouldn't. Making it is actually fairly simple. The key is using top-notch ingredients. Read more »

Bredie

(South African lamb stew)

Bredies are simple, traditional South African mutton stews in the Cape Malay tradition. The most popular are green bean bredie, tomato bredie and cabbage bredie. A basic bredie recipe is listed here, with the more common variations below. (Tip: A bredie will always taste better served the day after it is made.) Read more »