I love winter food – think cosy soups, comforting stews, and warming casseroles.

But being completely honest, I have to admit that without a couple of chef’s tricks, I can see why some might find them underwhelming. It wasn’t until I tried Mary Berry’s addition of red Thai curry paste to my tomato soup that the dish really sang, for instance.

And before I started cooling my parboiled potatoes overnight before roasting them, they never had that signature crunch and fluff combo.

Which is why I’m glad that Julian Klenda, food expert and founder of Maine Lobster Now, has shared the best way to rescue your stew from sadly-too-common mediocrity.

The most common mistakes he sees are:

1) Not letting the stew rest before serving it

Tempting as it might be to dive into a lasagne the second it’s cooked,

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