This hearty winter stew from northern Spain was adapted from Jean Anderson’s Falling Off the Bone.  It takes about 4 hours and will serve 6-8 with a good crusty bread.

6 thick slices of bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

3 lb. beef chuck or round roast, cut into 1-1/2-inch cubes

2 large onions, sliced

6 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2 large bay leaves

2-inch-wide strips of orange zest

2-inch cinnamon stick

4 whole cloves

1 cup beef broth

14-1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 cup dry red wine

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

½ lb. peeled baby carrots

1 lb. can cannellini or great northern beans, drained and rinsed

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Move/remove racks from the oven to have room for the Dutch oven and lid.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

In a Dutch oven and on the stove top, brown the bacon over medium heat.  Remove the cooked bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.  Reserve.

Pour off all the bacon fat into a small bowl and pour back into the pan ¼ cup of the bacon grease.  (My bacon was very lean, and I had to supplement with some chicken fat I had.  Otherwise I would have used olive oil.)  Over medium heat, brown the beef cubes in batches.  Remove the browned beef to a bowl with a slotted spoon.  Add the onion and cook over medium-low heat until translucent, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pot.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute.  Add the spices, beef broth, tomatoes, and wine.  Add the beef.  Stir well.  Bring to a boil and then put covered in the oven for 2 hours.  Check it from time to time to stir the pot and to ensure there is enough liquid.  (If not add some more.)

After 2 hours, add the carrots, stirring them into the mixture.  Cover and cook for another 30 minutes.

Next add the beans, and stir them into the mixture.  Cook for another 20 minutes.

Remove the pot from the oven to the stove top.  Remove the lid and stir in the reserved bacon and the parsley.  Check the seasoning and serve.