Creole Carbonnades

Serves 6 - 8

2 lbs beef stew meat

½ cup flour

½ cup oil

2 thinly sliced onions

2 tablespoons demi glace (or the commercial products Marmite or Bovril)

2 bottles Abita Turbodog

8 - 10 rounds of stale french bread

½ cup Creole mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

4 Idaho potatoes, cut into ½ inch cubes and parboiled until tender

Heat oil in a Dutch oven.  Season the flour with salt and pepper.  Dredge the stew meat in the flour and brown in the Dutch oven in single layers.  Reserve the browned meat.  Reduce the heat and add the sliced onions to the pan.  Stirring frequently, cook the onions until translucent.  Add browned beef, the beer and the demi glace or other beef extract.  Bring to a simmer and cook together gently for 40 minutes, adding more beer or water if needed.

Spread the Creole mustard on the french bread slices and place on top of the stew.  Cover and continue to cook until the bread breaks down to make the thick gravy.  Serve with the boiled potatoes.