Title: Polenta with beef & sausage stew
 Categories: Meats, Italian, Alcohol
      Yield: 6 Servings
 
           -JUDI M. PHELPS (G.PHELPS1)
  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.