STEAK AND MUSHROOM STEW

This is a hearty dinner for the cool winter days to serve the family.  This dish will warm the weary soul after a hard-days work.  [As for the demi-glace and the garni, I have included the recipe for homemade in my next recipe.]  

Ingredients:

6 ounces thick-cut bacon, diced
3 1/2-4 pounds roast, cut into 1 inch cubes
salt and pepper to taste
2 small onions, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalk, diced
3 cloves,  minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3/4 pound mushrooms, sliced,
1 tablespoon veal demi-glace
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

In skillet, cook the bacon.  Drain on paper towels. Pour bacon fat into bowl.  
Season beef with salt and pepper
Return insert to medium-high heat; warm 2 tablespoons bacon fat.  Brown beef in batches 8-10 minutes.  Transfer to bowl.
Reduce heat to medium; warm 1 tablespoon bacon fat, Cook onion, carrots and celery 10 minutes.  Add garlic and tomato paste, cook 1 minute.  Add mushrooms, saute 10-12 minutes.  
Stir in demi-glace, mustard, beef, bacon, broth, salt and pepper.
Bring to simmer, transfer insert to slow-cooker base.
Cover; cook on high 4 hours.
Skim off fat.
Stir in parsley
Serve with mashed potatoes.
Serves 6-8

Yield: 1 gallon
1 gallon Espagnole sauce, hot
1 gallon brown stock, hot
1 bouquet garni
In a stock pot, combine the Espagnole sauce, brown stock and bouquet garni, together, over medium-high heat. Bring up to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and a simmer until the liquid reduces by half, about 1 1/2 hours. Skim the liquid occasionally, for impurities. Season with salt and pepper. Strain through a China Cap or tightly meshed strainer.