Stew

stew as a verb, to simmer in a closed vessel; as a noun, the resulting dish.

The cuisines of most countries include some well-known stews, e.g. irish stew and the Spanish cocido, since these dishes have many practical advantages. Meat (of fish or poultry or game) can be combined in one dish (see one-pot cookery, casserole, tagine) with vegetables; so there is no wastage of fuel and less washing up. The mixture of ingredients in a thick and opaque sauce casts a veil of uncertainty over the proportions of expensive ingredients to cheap ones. The slow steady cooking enables the cook to be away from the kitchen before a meal.