Meat Stew alla Giovanni

We made this on a warm afternoon in May, might be more suited for a colder month but the pork makes it a bit lighter than a wintry beef stew.

pork (cut doesn't really matter, chopped into 1 inch cubes) - 1 lb
beef (same as above) - 1/4 lb
carrots - 2
white onion - 1 small (or half a normal one)
celery - 4 good size stalks
canned artichokes in olive oil - 8 oz can
canned mushrooms - crimini (small ones with brown top) - slightly smaller can than artichokes
beef broth - 1-2 cups
beef bouillon cube - only about a 1/3 of a cube
salt - to taste
parsley (finely chopped) - 1/4 cup

(all measurements are guesses but within about 50% of them would probably be fine)

1. In a large pan with a lot of olive oil and salt saute the pork cubes until well browned. Add them to a large pot with broth.

2. Drain the artichokes and pour the oil in the pot to preserve as much of the artichoke flavor as possible.

3. Chop the fresh veggies reasonably small. Cook each one separately with a good amount of olive oil and add to the pot immediately. Cook the onions so that they start to soften, but do not let them brown. Cook the carrots just slightly, you want to make sure they preserve some of their crunchiness, same goes for the celery.

4. Cut the artichokes into smaller pieces and add to the pot along with the mushrooms. Stir and add broth or water as needed to keep some liquid in the pot, not very much though. Cook for about 10-15 minutes like this.

5. Slightly brown the beef squares and add them to the pot along with the parsley. Cook another five minutes like this and serve immediately.