Soak the mushrooms in 1/4 cup water for 2 hours. Bring to boil and simmer for 1/2 hour. Slice.

Wash the sauerkraut and sqeeze it. Add mushrooms and the liquid in which they were cooked. Add the apples, the tomatoes, peppercorns and bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add the meat and the bacon. Simmer 1 hour longer.

My method differs a little bit. I rinse the sauerkraut and simmer it for about a 1/2 hour. In a separate pot I simmer the stewing beef for the same amount of time with whatever spices happen to fall into my hands at the time, including the peppercorns and the bay leaf. Meanwhile, in a large fry pan I fry the bacon, a large diced onion, the Polish sausage and the mushrooms. Then I drain the sauerkraut and mix it into the beef. Into that I mix in the bacon mixture. Then I simmer all that for about another hour.

This dish tastes best reheated the next day. Serve with steamed potatoes or rye bread. Excellent for banquets and buffet entertaining. It also freezes well.

per Teresa Stalis