Cooked for varying lengths of time, simmered dishes are all the rage on a winter table.
To warm up, nothing beats a dish that has been simmering for long hours on the stove. A time necessary for cooking but above all for the development of aromas.
Let time pass
The advantage of a slow-cooked dish is that you do not need to constantly check the condition of the food. Indeed, it often takes long hours for the meats to reveal all their tenderness, as is the case for beef bourguignon, a great classic of French gastronomy. But not all slow-cooked dishes need such a long cooking time. For example, stews made with winter vegetables cook more quickly. And if you’re short on time, remember this basic rule: the finer a food is chopped, the faster it cooks. We therefore prefer to slip sliced or cubed carrots (mirepoix cutting) into the liquid rather than whole products!
The magic of sauce
In a simmered dish, there are two main elements, the main product(s) – whether meat, fish and/or vegetables – and the sauce. One does not exist without the other. Indeed, it is the simmered ingredients that flavor the sauce with less intensity. Whether the cooking is very long or rather quick, it doesn’t matter, we give maximum flavor to the sauce. How ? By focusing on powerful ingredients such as onion, garlic, leek, carrot, bay leaf, bouquet garni, spices, aromatic herbs, or even citrus fruits. If the base of a sauce can be water, you can also use red or white wine; vegetable, poultry, veal or beef broth; fish stock, etc.
Whether based on meat, fish or vegetables, here are 12 stews for 4 people to try this winter.
Mémé Cocard’s creamed chicken
© Rebecca Genet
- 4 people
- Level: Easy
- 30 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Mémé Cocard’s creamed chicken
Mushroom Burgundy

© Gunda Dittrich
- 4 people
- Level: Very easy
- 10 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Mushroom Bourguignon
Authentic beef bourguignon with button mushrooms

© Vincent Leroux
- 6 people
- Level: Quite difficult
- 45 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Authentic beef bourguignon with button mushrooms
Ossobucco and gremolata

© Valéry Guedes
- 4 people
- Level: Easy
- 30 minutes of preparation
- Quite expensive
- See the recipe: Osso-bucco and gremolata
Normandy-style free-range chicken

© Christophe Roué
- 4 people
- Level: Easy
- 10 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Normandy-style free-range chicken
Bouillabaisse spirit with three fish

© Valéry Guedes
- 4 people
- Level: Easy
- 60 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Bouillabaisse spirit with three fish
Cholent with beef chuck

© Annabelle Schachmes
- 4 people
- Level: Easy
- 20 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Cholent with beef chuck
Braised beef with red wine and spices, white beans

© Valéry Guedes
- 4 people
- Level: Easy
- 35 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Braised beef with red wine and spices, white beans
Mushroom Burgundy

© Gunda Dittrich
- 4 people
- Level: Very easy
- 10 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Mushroom Bourguignon
Winter vegetable bourguignon

© Valéry Guedes
- 4 people
- Level: Easy
- 15 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Winter vegetable bourguignon
Chicken in pot, rice pilaf

© Pierre Baëlen
- 4 people
- Level: Easy
- 20 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Chicken au pot, rice pilaf
Sea stew

© Valéry Guedes
- 4 people
- Level: Very easy
- 20 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Sea stew
Mémé Cocard’s creamed chicken

© Rebecca Genet
- 4 people
- Level: Easy
- 30 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Mémé Cocard’s creamed chicken
Mushroom Burgundy

© Gunda Dittrich
- 4 people
- Level: Very easy
- 10 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Mushroom Bourguignon
Authentic beef bourguignon with button mushrooms

© Vincent Leroux
- 6 people
- Level: Quite difficult
- 45 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Authentic beef bourguignon with button mushrooms
Ossobucco and gremolata

© Valéry Guedes
- 4 people
- Level: Easy
- 30 minutes of preparation
- Quite expensive
- See the recipe: Osso-bucco and gremolata
Normandy-style free-range chicken

© Christophe Roué
- 4 people
- Level: Easy
- 10 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Normandy-style free-range chicken
Bouillabaisse spirit with three fish

© Valéry Guedes
- 4 people
- Level: Easy
- 60 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Bouillabaisse spirit with three fish
Cholent with beef chuck

© Annabelle Schachmes
- 4 people
- Level: Easy
- 20 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Cholent with beef chuck
Braised beef with red wine and spices, white beans

© Valéry Guedes
- 4 people
- Level: Easy
- 35 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Braised beef with red wine and spices, white beans
Mushroom Burgundy

© Gunda Dittrich
- 4 people
- Level: Very easy
- 10 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Mushroom Bourguignon
Winter vegetable bourguignon

© Valéry Guedes
- 4 people
- Level: Easy
- 15 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Winter vegetable bourguignon
Chicken in pot, rice pilaf

© Pierre Baëlen
- 4 people
- Level: Easy
- 20 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Chicken au pot, rice pilaf
Sea stew

© Valéry Guedes
- 4 people
- Level: Very easy
- 20 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Sea stew