Comfort food looks different to everyone, but some dishes are guaranteed to deliver the feel-good boost we need – usually hearty, warming recipes which are loaded with stodgy goodness. Whatever it looks like to you, a successful plate of comfort food should leave you feeling content, full and in better spirits than you were before diving in.

A dose of comfort food is needed all year round, but there's no denying that short days and wintry evenings call for some extra portions. It's officially comfort food's time to shine, but we know that you're like us and won't settle for average – so, with that in mind, we've pulled together nine classic comfort food dishes straight from Micheiln-starred kitchens. Comforting and cheffy? We're in.

Quintessentially British and always comforting, fish pie is a staple during the colder months. This version from Simon Hulstone is an elevated take on a classic – he uses a mussel stock to create a tartare sauce which is then drizzled over the pollock pie. 

Toad in the hole is a classic winter warmer and ideal whether you're after a filling mid-week meal or a Sunday roast replacement. Follow Galton Blackiston's recipe to guarantee pillowy Yorkshire pudding – he uses duck fat and a pinch of nutmeg. 

Low and slow braises are a go-to technique for comfort food connoisseurs, and this recipe from Pascal Aussignac proves just that. His whole beef shin is gently cooked in orange and red wine for two and a half hours, before being sprinkled with an orange and olive gremolata. For extra cosy points, serve with buttery mash.

Creamy, rich and cheesy – macaroni and cheese ticks all the comfort food boxes. Tom Aikens uses milk infused with bay, thyme, fresh basil and Dijon mustard, as well as both Gruyère and Parmesan for the cheese, giving the finished dish a satisfyingly rich flavour.

You can't get much more comforting than a lasagne, and Paul Ainsworth's take uses a rich lamb ragù made from roasted pulled lamb shoulder, adding an even deeper meaty richness to the dish. He also uses smoked pancetta lardons, a bottle of red wine and a cheese sauce made with Parmesan and fontina cheese – it's a real show-stopper. 

Martin Wishart shows that the secret to a classic French soup is getting a good colour on the onions from the start. Your patience is rewarded with a perfectly sweets-meets-savoury soup packed with caramelised flavour and topped with cheesy goodness.

Sometimes only pasta with tomato sauce will do the job, a simple combination that, when done right, beats far more complex dishes. Though Ruth Rogers makes her own tagliarini – a delicate shape similar to a thin tagliatelle – her sauce is refreshingly simple, so make sure you track down the best quality ingredients.

Home-made rice pudding is hard to top, as Josh Eggleton shows with his fantastic recipe. It's gently spiced with bay, ginger, lemon and vanilla, before being served with ginger snaps, which offer a satisfying contrast in texture.

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