Title: Polenta with Beef & Sausage Stew
Categories: Meat Ethnic Beverages
Yield: 6 Servings
| 1 3/4 | lb | Lean beef |
| 3/4 | lb | Italian sweet sausage |
| 2 | | Garlic cloves; mashed |
| 10 | | Parsley sprigs; leaves only |
| 1/2 | lb | Fresh mushrooms |
| 3 | tb | Olive oil |
| 1/4 | c | Butter |
| 2 | oz | Salt pork; diced |
| 1/2 | lb | Onions; peeled and diced |
| 1/4 | ts | Freshly ground black pepper |
| 1 | | Bay leaf; crumbled |
| 1/2 | c | Dry white wine |
| 2 | tb | Celery; minced |
| 2 | tb | Carrot; minced |
| 1 | lg | Fresh tomato or |
| 1/2 | c | Canned plum tomatoes; chop fine |
| 1/2 | c | ;hot water |
| | pn | Freshly grated nutmeg |
| | | Salt; optional |
| | | Polenta; freshly cooked (see separate recipe) |
Cut the beef into 1/2-inch cubes. Remove casing from the sausage and
cut the meat into 1-inch pieces.
Chop garlic and parsley together until almost pureed.
Cut the mushrooms into thin slices; or use 1/2 oz dried mushrooms and soak
them in 1/2 cup lukewarm water for 15 minutes. Drain, saving the water, and
chop the mushrooms.
Combine olive oil, butter, and salt pork in a saucepan; heat. Add onions
and saute slowly until medium brown. Add beef and sausage and brown for 10
minutes. Add garlic and parsley, black pepper and bay leaf. Stir and cook
for 10 minutes. Add wine, stir, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add
celery, carrot, tomatoes and mushrooms. Stir and cook for 10 minutes
longer. Add hot water and water from dried mushrooms if any. Stir, cover,
and simmer for 40 minutes.
Grate a little nutmeg over the top and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes
longer. Test beef for doneness; taste for salt and add if necessary, but
salt pork may have added enough.
Divide the hot polenta among 4 to 6 warm plates.
Serve the stew and gravy over polenta. Enjoy a bottle of Valpolicella
with it.
Source: Leone's Italian Cookbook.