Beef Stewed in Cranberry Chutney

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 pounds stewing beef trimmed of fat, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 celery stalk with leaves, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/4 cups boiling water
• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup walnuts (optional)
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add beef and brown on all sides. Add onions and celery and sauté until golden brown. Add garlic and sauté mixture 1 minute longer, stirring constantly. (Do not let garlic change color.)
2. Stir water into mixture, then add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 1 1/4 hours, or until beef is tender and liquid is reduced to 1/3 to 1/2 cup. If pan juice gets too low during cooking, add a little hot water. Or, if pan juice does not reduce sufficiently, uncover skillet during last 30 minutes of cooking and stir often.
3. Taste to correct seasonings.