Among the highlights of our recent family holiday were the walks along the beach, where the children collected sea shells to take home and paint.
The simplest things often make the most successful outings.
It can be the same with meal times. Working up an appetite is one of life’s simple pleasures – assuming there is something good to eat, and quick to finish, at the end of it. The anticipation of eating always fuels me on a walk, especially if, once outdoors, the weather is the wrong side of brisk. The winter stew comes into its own on such a day: much of it I get done in advance, leaving the least possible to do at the last moment. It’s satisfying, filling, relatively quick and fairly inexpensive too.
My only niggle is with the frequently peddled recommendation to pop your casserole in the oven and forget about it while you sidle off for the afternoon. This is a myth, but one you can get around. Cook your stew in advance, cool it, then place it into a cold oven, turning it on relatively low as you leave. This will warm the dish safely without spoiling it. Alternatively, pour a big drink upon your return and reheat the pot. Even a fish stew can be adapted to fit in – preparing a base of tomatoes, peppers, fennel, saffron and chilli beforehand leaves you with only some gentle poaching of the fish at the end.
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