Stews often start with frying as this starts off the cooking process which allows the ingredients to give off flavour and soften. When it comes to meat and poultry this is a very important stage as browning the meat creates a rich, savoury flavour. For successful browning, ensure that you thoroughly heat the fat before adding the meat or poultry. The key to successful stews and casseroles is slow cooking. Reducing the cooking time results in tough meat and less flavour. Cook the dish on a gentle simmer or in a low oven - once everything is in the pot, it can be simply left on its own to cook unattended for about 2-3 hours. A good quality, heavy casserole dish is well worth the money as it conducts heat efficiently and lessens the risk of burning the food. Most cuts of meat or poultry that are suitable for stews and casseroles are the cheapest cuts. Lamb shanks, beef cheeks, chicken thighs are the ones that produce the tastiest results. Similarly root vegetable or pulses are also the best for slow cooking. Another secret to adding flavour to your dishes is to cook the stew a day or two ahead of time. Once cooked, set it aside to cool, then refrigerate until required, heating it through thoroughly before serving. This allows the flavours to develop and mature making it an ideal choice for entertaining. Another advantage for this is that the fats will set and form on the top, which can then be skimmed off easily to cut down the fat content.