STEW REVUE GET IN THE QUEUE FOR COMFORT FOOD.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

Warm up this winter with a wonderful hearty pot of stew from scratch. Not only is stew homey and comforting, but in most cases it's easy on the cook. Prep work is minimal and stews simmer lazily (fish stews cook much more quickly) allowing time to tend to other chores. Stew creations can feature beef, poultry, goat, rabbit, lamb, pork, veal, sausage, fish and shellfish, vegetables, and various combinations of these ingredients and others.

So just what is a stew? Definitions abound, depending on whom you ask. Some cooks and cookbook authors consider ragouts, braises, gumbos, goulashes, curries and more to be stews. Webster's defines stew as ``a dish, especially a mixture of meat and vegetables, cooked by stewing.''

``Stew is the catchall word to describe the process of cooking at a simmering heat, and for that reason I think it covers everything,'' writes Clifford A. Wright in his new book, ``Real Stew'' (The Harvard Common Press; $18.95). ``Stews are as old as the invention of the first pot. In culinary terms, one reason for stews, and there are many, is to break down the connective tissue in cheaper - that is, tougher - cuts of meat to make it palatable. This can only be done through long simmering.''

The Santa Monica resident includes 300 hearty and diverse recipes from almost 50 countries - Spain, Italy, Mexico, Brazil, India and the United States among them - in his book. It makes for interesting reading and cooking. Sprinkled in along the way are interesting tidbits on the origins, history and ingredients (especially substitutes for those that may be difficult to find). Wright also notes that you can never make too much stew as it's great the second time around.

Stew cooking procedures vary from cook to cook. While some cooks brown the meat cubes first in a little fat before adding the liquid and other ingredients, others don't. Browning the meat adds flavor to the finished dish, say some experts, who also recommend not flouring the meat to allow it to caramelize. Add the flour (for thickening the liquid while stewing) to sauteed onions before adding the other ingredients.

In ``The Best Recipe American Classics'' by the editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine (Boston Common Press; $29.95), a combination of chicken stock (it outscored beef broth) and red wine (such as Chianti or Zinfandel) is mentioned as the preferred liquid to use in a beef stew. In testing, the editors found that a cup of liquid per pound of beef yielded sufficient sauce for moistening mashed potatoes when serving.

Some advise adding the vegetables during the last 30 to 60 minutes of the cooking time so they retain their color and flavor while still melding with the other ingredients. Others suggest cooking the vegetables separately and adding the last few minutes, but that seems to defeat the purpose of an effortless one-pot meal.

Stews can be cooked on top of the stove in a heavy pot or in a medium oven in an ovenproof pot or casserole, notes Maryana Vollstedt in her book ``The Big Book of Soups & Stews'' (Chronicle Books; $19.95). It's also feasible to use a slow cooker.

For best results and moist, tender, flavorful meats, be sure to simmer stews gently, not boil them. Also, check the meat often as the stew nears completion so it's cooked just right. ``The meat passes from the tough to tender stage fairly quickly,'' write the Cook's Illustrated editors.

Now it's time to warm diners' souls with these robust one-pot meals.

BISTRO BEEF STEW

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4 pounds boneless beef chuck OR round, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

1 head garlic, separated and peeled

1 cup dry red wine

1 (14- to 14 1/2-ounce) can beef OR chicken broth

1 (0.9-ounce) envelope onion-mushroom soup mix

1 pound assorted small fresh mushrooms, such as button, cremini and shiitake 

8 ounces baby carrots

8 ounces sugar snap peas

Sourdough OR French rolls, hollowed out (optional)

Combine flour and pepper; lightly coat beef with flour mixture. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Brown 1/4 of beef, remove beef. Repeat three times. Add onions and garlic to pan; cook and stir over medium heat 3 minutes. Add wine; cook and stir until browned bits attached to pan are dissolved. Stir in broth and soup mix.

Add mushrooms and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer 45 minutes. Add carrots; continue simmering, covered, 30 minutes or until beef is fork-tender. Add peas; simmer 5 minutes. Serve in rolls, if desired. Makes 8 to 10 servings (12 cups).

WINTER VEGETABLE BEEF STEW

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 pounds beef for stew, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups chopped onions

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 (14- to 14 1/2-ounce) can beef OR chicken broth

1 cup dark beer OR nonalcoholic beer

1 pound small red potatoes, quartered

3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 3 tablespoons cold water

Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Cook and stir beef and onions in 2 batches; brown evenly. Pour off drippings. Return beef and onions to pan. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in broth and beer. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cover tightly and simmer gently 1 1/4 hours. Add vegetables. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low. Cover tightly and continue simmering 20 to 30 minutes or until beef and vegetables are tender. Stir in cornstarch mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring; cook and stir 1 minute or until thickened. Garnish with parsley. Makes 6 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each.

PORTUGUESE FISHERMAN'S STEW

2 red potatoes, cut into eighths

1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

2 ounces linguica, chorizo OR reduced-fat kielbasa, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 pound tomatoes, chopped

1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

8 littleneck clams, scrubbed

8 mussels, scrubbed and debearded

1/4 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 pound cod fillet 

1/4 pound sea scallops

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Spray an 8-quart saucepan with nonstick cooking spray and set over medium heat. Add potatoes, carrots, onion, linguica and garlic; saute until onion begins to soften, about 6 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, clam juice, wine, saffron, oregano and cayenne; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Add clams and simmer, covered, 3 minutes.

Stir in mussels, cover and simmer 3 minutes more. Discard any clams or mussels that don't open. Add shrimp, cod and scallops; cook until shrimp are pink and no longer opaque, about 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and serve. Makes 4 servings, 6 points (Weight Watchers) per serving; 227 calories per serving.

From ``Weight Watchers: Simply the Best All American.''

CHICKEN STEW FROM GREECE

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 (4-pound) chicken, cut into serving-size pieces

3 medium-size onions, grated on largest holes of a grater

1 tablespoon tomato paste dissolved in 1/2 cup water

1 bouquet garni, consisting of 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 stick cinnamon, 3 allspice berries, 1 clove and 2 bay leaves, tied in cheesecloth 

12 to 14 small onions, a combination of red and white (1 to 1 1/4 pounds total), peeled

6 ounces kefalotyri OR kashkaval cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (available in Greek OR Middle Eastern markets; you could use a young pecorino cheese in place of kefalotyri)

In a large casserole, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat with olive oil. Once butter stops sizzling and is beginning to turn light brown, brown chicken pieces on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Add grated onion, cook 1 or 2 minutes, then add diluted tomato paste. Add bouquet garni, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes. Add whole onions and cook, covered, until chicken and onions are fork-tender, 45 to 60 minutes more.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Once butter stops sizzling, cook cheese cubes until crispy on one side, about 1 minute. Scrape them up with a metal spatula (make sure the crust doesn't stick to pan) and cook other side until crispy. Remove from pan and add to chicken stew. Cook until they begin to melt, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately, discarding bouquet garni. Makes 4 servings.

From ``Real Stew,'' by Clifford A. Wright.

AUSTRIAN PORK AND CABBAGE STEW FROM VIENNA

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices and separated into rings

1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of any large pieces of fat and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

2 large carrots, cut into 3/8-inch thick rounds

1/2 small head Savoy cabbage (about 3/4 pound), damaged outer leaves discarded, cored and chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 to 3 teaspoons freshly ground caraway seeds (to your taste)

2 cups chicken broth

In a large casserole, melt butter over medium-high heat. When it stops sizzling, cook onion until yellow, stirring, about 10 minutes. Remove onion with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour off all butter, leaving enough to coat bottom of casserole. Reserve poured off butter.

Layer potatoes, pork, carrots and cabbage, in that order, in casserole, sprinkling each layer with salt, pepper and some of caraway. End with a layer of potatoes and lay reserved fried onions on top. Again sprinkle with salt, pepper and caraway. Pour reserved butter over top. Pour chicken broth over potatoes. Cover casserole tightly. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven until pork and potatoes are tender, about 2 1/2 hours.

Turn on broiler and remove top of casserole. Broil until top is browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

From ``Real Stew,'' by Clifford A. Wright.

WHITE BEAN, RICE AND POTATO STEW

(From the Aragon province of Spain)

1 cup (1/2 pound) dried white beans, picked over, rinsed, soaked in water to cover overnight and drained

1 quart water

1 medium-large onion, chopped

6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3/4 pound boiling potatoes, peeled and diced

2 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup medium-grain rice, such as Calarosa

1 teaspoon sweet paprika 

Place beans in large saucepan and add 3 cups water, onion, garlic, bay leaf and olive oil. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 1 hour.

Add potatoes and salt and cook until potatoes are almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add rice and paprika, bring to a boil and return heat to low. Cover and cook until rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Add remaining 1 cup water to make stew soupy, if necessary. Remove stew from heat and let stand, uncovered, 5 minutes before serving. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

From ``Real Stew,'' by Clifford A. Wright.

CARIBBEAN TURKEY STEW

2 turkey thighs (about 1 1/4 pounds)

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cup chicken stock OR broth

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Dash ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 sweet potato (about 1 pound), peeled and cubed

1 small yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges

1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

Cooked white rice

In a large soup pot over high heat, bring turkey, orange juice, chicken stock, vinegar, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, salt and pepper to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, about 35 minutes. Add sweet potato, onion and bell pepper and cook, covered, until turkey is no longer pink in center, about 20 minutes longer. Transfer turkey to a plate and cool. Remove meat from bones and set aside. Discard bones and skin. Return turkey to pot and simmer, uncovered, until heated through and flavors are blended, about 10 minutes longer. Serve over rice. Makes 4 servings.

From ``The Big Book of Soups & Stews,'' by Maryana Vollstedt.

SOUTHWEST STYLE BEEF STEW

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 pounds boneless beef round OR chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup beef broth

1 cup prepared thick and chunky salsa

2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 3/4-inch thick pieces

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 to 1 cup frozen whole corn kernels

2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 3 tablespoons cold water

Toppings: Chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream and chopped tomatoes (optional)

In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Cook and stir beef in 2 batches; brown evenly. Pour off drippings. Return beef to pan. Season with salt. Stir in broth and salsa. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cover tightly and simmer gently 1 1/4 hours. Stir in zucchini, beans and corn. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cover tightly and continue simmering 15 to 20 minutes or until beef and vegetables are tender. Stir in cornstarch mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring; cook and stir 1 minute or until thickened. Serve with desired toppings. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) pot of riches

Enjoy a bowl of home-cooked stew

(2 -- color) BISTRO BEEF STEW

(3 -- color) PORTUGUESE FISHERMAN'S STEW

From ``Weight Watchers: Simply the Best All American,'' Hungry Minds.