Tenderness is at the heart of why we cook.

Slowly allowing flavors to unfold, letting simple ingredients transform into something rich and generous is a kind of magical alchemy. Start with a flexible, foolproof braise recipe that will teach you how to stew in a whole new way. From there, take in any direction you choose – the 90 gorgeous, heartfelt and flavor-packed meals in this book run the range from hearty stews to zippy braises and curries, as well as a wide world of soups and ragus, all designed to warm you up and hold you together. There's no need for special equipment – just a stove or oven will do.

Be led lovingly into the arms of a steak and peppercorn stew with mash, or a lemony lamb shoulder with potatoes and chickpeas. Get ahead with a dal mix you can store in a jar in the pantry, keep it simple with an adaptable one-pan chicken-and-saucy-rice, or enliven the whole house with a Thai-style seafood bouillabaisse. These nurturing, comforting recipes offer both easy weeknight dinners and banquet-worthy centrepieces, so you can feed your soul while satisfying hungry friends and family members at the same time. Sometimes we all just need a little tenderness.