Jeannette Pépin, Jacques Pépin's mother, served this red wine–beef stew at her Lyon restaurant, Le Pélican, where she would cook tougher cuts of meat into a rich, luscious, comforting dish.

A hearty beef stew is the perfect dish to whip up on a chilly winter evening or any day of the week. But it can be a let-down when this home-cooked meal turns out bland. To prevent this ...