This slow cooked beef and barley stew is the most comforting way to celebrate the weekend.

Who better than THE Irish chef himself, Colin Fassnidge, to show you how to make this classic, warming stew. Be sure to freeze any leftovers for another day.

This hearty stew is a one-pot wonder.

"The marshy waters that run through the lowlands of Emilia-Romagna could be called ‘acque di mezzo’ (waters that lie between land and sea). They are home to varieties of seafood that can tolerate lower salt levels, such as squid, eel and mullet. "In his online recipe booklet Ricette di Cucina delle ‘Acque di Mezzo’, Sandro Bignami describes some of the dishes of the lowlands, combining elements of the land and the sea. This recipe is taken from the book, slightly tweaked. It’s one of those one-pot dishes that make cooking for a group so easy. Pancetta, onions and butter are slowly braised to make a well-seasoned base for baby potatoes and bites of tender fish. Serve from the pan at the table, adding a good sprinkling of parsley and spring onion at the end. If you cannot find mullet, trevally or snapper makes a good substitute." – Paola Bacchia This is an edited extract from Adriatico by Paola Bacchia, published by Smith Street Books, AUD$55.00, available now.

“This version of minestrone is basically a hearty lamb stew. It should use the best of what is around and can be made at any time of the year. It’s a great way to maximise roast leftovers, plus use up those quarter bags of pasta from the pantry. When it’s warmer, keep it fresher and serve with less broth. In the cooler months, add some bacon, serve it with bread and use it to warm your cockles,” says chef Monty Koludrovic.

Serve up something a little different tonight with this Italian-inspired, totally gluten-free stew.

This fish stew is the perfect addition to any winter dinner menu. Serving with crusty bread is mandatory.

The rich tomato sugo in this recipe works in Italian and French dishes, such as this seafood stew. You can adjust quantities as needed.

A comforting Italian soup that'll keep you warm during the winter months.

Full of hearty lentils and filling sweet potato, this warming vegan stew is perfect for chilly winter nights.

“Baeckeoffe is one of those dishes that never fails – generous, comforting and built to share. It comes from the Alsace region of France, where families would take their pots to the local baker to cook slowly in the falling heat of the bread oven. It’s a simple idea, but a beautiful one. The filling is everything – layers of pork, lamb and beef, slowly cooking down with potatoes, aromatics and white wine until it all melts together. It’s not a heavy stew; more a deeply flavoured broth with tender meat and soft vegetables that have taken on everything around them. Sealed with dough, it holds all that in until the very end.” – Mike McEnearney

South America's largest country is set to be the next big thing, says David Prior, for its vibrant cuisine as well as its sport, samba and beaches. This vibrant moqueca, a thick seafood stew, hails from Bahia, the heart of Afro-Brazilian culture in the country's north-east.

Stout and prunes add unexpected sweetness to this saucy beef stew.

All the flavours of roast lamb, baked into a hearty stew. Serve over buttered couscous for the ultimate winter warmer.

This South African take on lamb shank stew is served with a traditional creamy maize meal side.