on the side. Here are a few stew recipes from `At Home with the French Classics' by Richard Grausman.

*** BOEUF BOURGUIGNON Burgundy-Style Beef Stew Serves 6 1 cup vegetable oil 3 pounds beef chuck trimmed, cut into 11 - to 2-inch cubes, and patted dry on paper towels 1 onion, diced 1 small carrot, diced 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup Cognac (optional) 3 cups dry red wine 11 cups beef stock, homemade or canned 2 shallots, sliced 4 garlic cloves, sliced 1 tablespoon tomato paste Bouquet Garni 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 24 pearl onions, peeled, root end trimmed but left intact to hold the onions together 12 to 18 new potatoes, peeled 1 pound smoked slab bacon, rind removed, cut into 1 -inch rectangles 3 pound mushrooms washed, dried, and halved or quartered to match the size of the onions 6 sprigs parsley, chopped, for garnish 1. IN a large flameproof casserole, heat the oil over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke, add the beef cubes and brown well on all sides, turning the pieces only after they have browned, about 7 minutes.

This can be done in two batches if your casserole cannot hold the meet in one layer. Add the onion and carrot to the casserole, reduce the heat to medium-high, and brown the vegetables lightly, about 3 minutes.

2. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and vegetables and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until evenly browned, about 5 minutes.

3. Remove the casserole from the heat, add the Cognac, and flame. When the flames die, add the wine, stock, shallots, garlic, tomato paste, bouquet garni, salt, and pepper. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, occasionally skimming off the fat or foam that rises to the top, until the beef is tender, about 11 hours.

The cooking time will vary depending on the cut and aging of the meat. It might take as long as 21 to 3 hours. To test for doneness, stick one prong of a roasting fork into a piece of the meat and lift it from the casserole. If the meat clings to the fork, it needs more cooking.

If it drops from the fork, it is tender and ready to serve. (The recipe can be prepared to this point in advance. Let cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate or freeze.) 4. Meanwhile, drop the pearl onions into a large sauce pan of boiling water and cook until tender, about 10 minutes; drain well.

5. Boil or steam the potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain.

6. Place the bacon in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, drain, and rinse under cold running water. Repeat this process one more tie and drain well.

7. In a 12-inch skillet, saute' the bacon until it is crisp on the outside, yet soft on the inside, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

8. Remove all but about 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet, add the mushrooms, and saute' over high heat until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove the mushrooms to a bowl.

9. Add the boiled onions to the pan and saute' until browned, about 5 minutes.

10. When the beef is tender, remove it with a skimmer or slotted spoon and place it in an attractive oven-to-table casserole. Add the onions, mushrooms, and bacon.

11. Remove any fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. If the sauce is too thick, add a little water; if too thin, boil it to reduce and thicken. The sauce should be the consistency of heavy cream. Adjust the seasoning of the sauce and strain it over the meat and vegetables.

Some tasty stew recipes (The stew can be prepared up to 2 days in advance.

As with all ragouts, the flavour actually improves if made at least 1 day in advance. Let cool, cover, and refrigerate. Before serving, reheat the ragout and simmer for 5 minutes.) Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

*** NAVARIN d'AGNEAU French Lamb Stew 4 tablespoons vegetable oil 21 pounds boned shoulder of lamb, trimmed and cut into 11 -inch cubes 1 cup all-purpose flour 3 cups beef stock, homemade or canned 1 cup dry white wine 1 tablespoon tomato paste 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 4 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces 18 pearl onions, peeled, root end trimmed but left intact to hold the onions together 3 small to medium white turnips, peeled and quartered 18 small new potatoes, peeled Chopped parsley, for garnish 1. IN a large flameproof casserole, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over high heat until it begins to smoke. Add the cubes of lamb and brown well on all sides, turning the pieces only after they have browned. If your casserole is not large enough to hold the lamb in one layer, this can be done in two batches.

2. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and brown over medium heat, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Add the stock, wine, tomato paste, garlic, and bouquet garni. Stir with a wooden spoon. Season with the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer.

4. Meanwhile, in a 10- to 12-inch skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over high heat. Add the carrots and brown, shaking the skillet frequently.

Remove the carrots and set aside. Next, brown the pearl onions and turnips in the same skillet.

5. After the lamb has been simmering for 30 minutes, add the browned carrots.

After another 15 minutes, add the onions and turnips. Check both meat and vegetables for tenderness from time to time, and if one of the vegetables is fully cooked before the rest, remove it to prevent overcooking. While everything is gently cooking, skim off all the fat and impurities that come to the surface.

Total cooking time will be about 11 hours. The stew can be made several days ahead to this point. Remove the bouquet garni. Let cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerator or freeze. Bring slowly back to a simmer while you cook the potatoes.

6. Boil or steam the potatoes until they are tender, about 20 minutes. (If boiled, drained them.) Add them to the casserole when all ingredients are tender, and cook 5 minutes longer.

7. Skim any fat remaining on the sauce, and remove the bouquet garni. Transfer the stew to a hot serving dish and sprinkle with chopped parsley just before serving.

*** BLANQUETTE DE VEAU AUX MORILLES Veal Stew with Wild Mushrooms Serves 6 1 ounce dried morel mushrooms 8 cups cold water 3 pounds veal shoulder cut into 11 -inch cubes 1 onion, studded with 2 cloves 1 large carrot 2 leeks, washed 1 turnip 2 stalks celery Bouquet Garni 25 to 30 pearl onions, peeled, root ends trimmed but left intact to hold the onions together 21 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 2 eggs yolks 1 cup heavy cream 1. PLACE the dried morels in a small bowl, cover with 2 cups of the cold water, and let stand until softened, about 30 minutes. Remove the morels and squeeze gently to remove as much liquid as possible. Strain the soaking liquid through a sieve lined with a double thickness of cheesecloth or paper towel; set aside.

2. Place the veal in a large casserole and cover with cold water, about 6 cups. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming the foam from the surface frequently.

3. Add the reserved morel soaking liquid, the clove-studded onion, the carrot, leeks, turnip, celery, and bouquet garni. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 30 minute.

4. Add the pearl onions and simmer for 35 minutes.

5. Add the morels; continue to cook until the veal is tender, 10 to 15 minutes longer.

6. Drain the meat and vegetables, reserving the stock. Put the veal, pearl onions, and morels in a large saucepan. Discard the other vegetables and bouquet garni.

7. Strain the reserve veal stock into a saucepan and boil over high heat until reduced to 3 cups, about 10 minutes.

8. In a small saucepan, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, until the roux is pale yellow and frothy, 30 to 40 seconds. Add 21 cups of the reduced veal stock and stir well with a whisk until the sauce thickens and comes to a boil, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and season the sauce with the salt and pepper.

Whisk vigorously for abut 10 seconds.

Simmer gently whisking the sauce from time to time, until the sauce is the consistency of heavy cream, about 5 minutes. Skim off any butter that comes to the surface.

9. Reduce the remaining 1 cup of reserved veal stock over high heat until only a few teaspoons remain and whisk into the sauce. Remove the sauce from the heat.

10. In a small bowl, mix the egg yolks and cream together and gradually whisk in 1 cup of the hot sauce. Whisk the warmed egg yolk mixture into the sauce.

Return the sauce to the heat and bring just to a simmer, whisking constantly.

Remove the sauce from the heat and pour it over the veal, onions, and morels.

(The recipe can be prepared to this point several days in advance. Cover the surface with plastic wrap, let cool, and refrigerate.) 11. Before serving, reheat the veal and vegetables in a boiling water bath (bain-marine), gently stirring occasionally, until the sauce and veal are hot, 15 to 20 minutes.

If morels are unavailable, you can always make the more usual version of this dish by using 3 pound regular mushrooms. Wash them and ad in step 5.