DIJON AND COGNAC BEEF STEW

SERVES 4

I am always looking for new recipes for stew. This one is great. Serve with buttered noodles and a green salad.

INGREDIENTS

4 ounces salt pork, blanched 5 minutes, rind removed and reserved, cut into small dice (or substitute bacon)

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

3 large shallots, chopped (or substitute 1 medium onion or green onions)

2 pounds lean beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes

Flour

Butter and olive oil

1/4 cup Cognac or Brandy

2 cups beef stock

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon coarse-ground mustard

2 large carrots, cut into bite-size pieces

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons butter (or mixture butter and olive oil)

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, cut into bite-size pieces

1/4 cup red wine

1 tablespoon coarse-ground mustard

Cook salt pork in large skillet over medium high heat until golden. Remove with slotted spoon and transfer to 4-quart Dutch oven. Add onion and shallot to skillet and brown quickly over high heat. Transfer to Dutch oven using slotted spoon. Coat beef cubes with flour, shaking off excess. Add butter and oil to skillet as needed and heat over medium heat. Add meat in batches and brown well on all sides. Transfer meat to Dutch oven.

Pour cognac into hot skillet and cook until only a thin glaze of liquid remains. Stir in stock and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits that remain. Add to beef along with Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon of coarse-ground mustard and reserved pork rind. Bring to simmer, cover partially and cook until beef is barely tender, about 2 to 3 hours. Add carrot and cook until tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Stew can be prepared up to this point and stored in refrigerator 2 to 3 days, or in freezer for several months.)

Just before serving, bring stew to simmer. Heat remaining butter in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and brown well. Add wine and remaining mustard and boil 20 seconds. Stir mixture into stew and let simmer for 5 minutes.

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