French Beef Stew

Photo: flickr user IndyDina and Mr. Wonderful

Ingredients

3 slc Bacon, cut into pieces

2 pounds Beef stew meat

1 cup Water

1 cup Dry red wine

1 Beef bouillon cube

2 Cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon Instant minced onion

2 teaspoons Salt

1/4 teaspoon Thyme

1 Strip orange peel

18 smalls White onions, fresh or canned

3/4 pound Small mushrooms

2 tablespoons Cornstarch

2 tablespoons Water

1 pkt (10-oz) frozen peas

1/2 cup Pitted ripe olives, drained

Preparation

Fry bacon until crisp in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Push bacon bits to side of pan. Add stew meat and brown. Stir in water, wine, bouillon cube, garlic, onion, salt, thyme and orange peel. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour or until meat is tender. In a covered saucepan over high heat, cook onions in 1 inch of boiling, salted water for 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook 5 minutes longer. Drain. If using

Yield: 6 to 8servings.