Tender: From basic braises to the new stew, soups to swill in and carby cushions – over 90 recipes to access the sauce of happiness

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.