Pot Roasted Beef in Beer -- Fry three bacon strips, remove and reserve bacon. Season and add a chuck roast, brown on both sides. Remove meat, and saute 1/2 large onion, 1/2 stalk of celery, 1/2 large carrot and 4 cloves of garlic. Add 2 tblspns flower and brown a bit. Add herbs to taste. Pour in 1 can of beer and 1 can of beef broth, bring to simmer and add back the roast. Simmer low on stove top or in a 325 oven for 3 hours. Remove roast and blend sauce if desired. J. Clerkin-Whitcomb, Richmond, CA BANANA AND SEAFOOD -- Soak sliced rounds of green bananas in salt water for about 15 minutes and drain. Sauté onions and garlic, add cayenne, summer savory or thyme, then chopped potatoes, chopped sweet potatoes, chopped cabbage, parsley, chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock or water. Simmer this stew for about 15 minutes then add the bananas, shelled shrimp and chunks of fish fillets. Simmer gently about 10 more minutes and adjust stock if too thick. Salt to taste. Serve over rice or steamed millet and garnish with wedges of lemon or lime.

BANANAS AND BEEF -- Make stew using garlic, onions, pepper, celery, ginger root, chili pepper, cilantro, cumin, salt, white pepper, burgundy wine, tomatoes, beef and beef stock. When meat is tender, add slices green bananas, sliced yellow plantain, diced sweet potato, cubed butternut squash, diced new potatoes, diced chayote, and white corn. Adjust stock and cook until vegetables are soft.

BEEF BARLEY STEW -- Brown stew beef in oil and add barley and water and/or beef broth. Season with parsley, Worcestershire, bay leaf and garlic. Add diced turnip, carrots, potatoes, onion and celery and simmer until meat and vegetables are tender.

BLACK-EYED PEA STEW -- Make a stew of black-eyed peas and drop in small herbed dumplings.

CLAM AND FISH STEAK STEW -- Sauté onion and garlic in oil, add diced tomatoes and some tomato paste. Season with basil, arugula and paprika or cayenne and simmer for a few minutes to mellow. Add white wine, cubed fish steam, and unopened clams. Simmer until the clams open and serve with shells, or with meat removed and returned to the stew.

CURRIED FISH, FRUIT AND VEGETABLE STEW -- Add tart apples or pears, chopped dried apricots, and vegetables -- red bell pepper, corn, green beans, zucchini -- to sautéed chopped onions, garlic, ginger root and curry spices (ground cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne). Add some water and/or broth, bring to boil, add white fish and simmer until vegetables are tender then stir in currents or raisins. Add lemon juice or some apricot preserves or chutney, depending on your taste.

FISH AND SWEET POTATO STEW -- Marinate any fish steaks or fillets in garlic, chiles, onion, lime juice, white vinegar, soy sauce and oil for quite a while. Broil, grill or sauté fish until browned then add to hot stew of sautéed onions, red bell pepper, cooked sweet potatoes and mix of marinade and fish or vegetable broth.

FISH, PEAS, POTATOES AND CREAM OF MUSHROOM STEW -- Simmer together sautéed onions, thin sliced potatoes with skins, frozen peas and cream of mushroom soup, then add pieces of white fish and simmer until done.

GUMBO -- Make a rich, brown roux and in it sauté garlic, onions, celery and green pepper, cooking until vegetables are tender, then add chicken stock, chopped tomatoes, some tomato juice, chopped fish fillets and shrimp, crab meat, crawfish, plus sliced Andouille smoked sausage, fresh or frozen okra, cayenne and a few bay leaves. Simmer for another hour or so.

MIXED FISH, VEGETABLE AND BANANA STEW -- Make a stew of sautéed onions and garlic, cayenne, thyme, chopped new potatoes and sweet potatoes, cabbage, chopped tomatoes and parsley. When potatoes are soft, add sliced green bananas that have been soaked in salt water, shelled shrimp and chunks of fish and simmer until fish is done.

STEWED FISH AND VEGETABLES -- Make a stew of sliced onions, peppers, celery, carrots, mushrooms and canned tomatoes with juices, adding whatever other vegetables and spices you prefer (eggplant, zucchini, etc.). Cover fillets with stew and bake or microwave until fish is tender.