I don’t mind winter. I like tobogganing, skating, skiing and shovelling the driveway (now that I own a snow blower). I even like a good old winter storm. However, I don’t like the cold - that extreme wind chill –20°C, keep your kids and pets indoors kind of winter weather. I find the best way to combat cold weather is to fire up the slow cooker and fight back. Having a roast, soup, casserole, stew or chili simmering away for the afternoon, filling the kitchen with warm aromas is the best way to beat the winter blues.

As the old saying goes, "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em". So I say embrace the blues and bring on the stilton. I can't think of a better way to beat back the winter blues than sitting down to a good steak topped with blue cheese and served with some swiss chard.

Whether you are making a Lentil & Tomato Stew or a Beat the Winter Blues Stew, the same principles apply. You need a base: onion, carrot, celery and garlic - a classic mairepoix; you need flavour builders: the tomato paste, wine, beef broth and herbs; and you need some substance - beef and potatoes. The difference in the process changes when you need an outside thickening agent. In the Lentil Stew we used absorption (the lentils will absorb some liquid) and reduction (the liquid evaporates and the tomatoes will break down) during the cooking process.