Recipes

7 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed, boned and cut into 1 inch chunks (You can also use short ribs or lamb shanks)
4 to 6 T. olive oil
2 large red onions, chopped
1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
8 garlic cloves, chopped
4 bay leaves
1/2 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. ground allspice
1-1/2 cups dry red wine
2-1/2 cups beef stock
3 14-16 oz. canned whole Italian plum tomatoes
3/4 cup Nicoise olives (or any pitted olive)
4 T. chopped rosemary
2 large bell peppers cut into 1/4 inch wide pieces (My son also likes carrots which I add at the same time as the peppers – 1 bunch thin sliced full-size carrots)
Basic Creamy Polenta
8 cups water
2 t. salt
2 cups polenta (not quick-cooking) or yellow cornmeal (10 oz.)

Heat oil in Dutch oven over high heat. Add one quarter of the beef and brown all sides. Transfer browned beef to bowl. Continue with remaining beef until completed. Reduce heat on Dutch oven to medium and add onion and parsley. Cook about 12 minutes. Add garlic, bay leaves and spices. Return beef to Dutch oven and stir to coat with mixture. Simmer 15 minutes. Add beef stock and wine. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Add tomatoes and break up with spoon. Add rosemary and olives. Reduce heat to low. Simmer about 1-1/2 hours. Add bell peppers, cover and cook until peppers are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Polenta: Bring water to a boil with salt in a 4-quart heavy pot, then add polenta in a thin stream, whisking. Cook over moderate heat, whisking, 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer polenta, covered, stirring for 1 minute after every 10 minutes of cooking, 45 minutes total. Remove from heat and serve warm.
Serves 8 to 10.