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. 
     Source:  Leone's Italian Cookbook.