Hearty Venison and Vegetable Stew

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1-1/4 pounds venison stew meat (cut into 1-1/4-inch cubes, blotted dry (lean beef stew meat may be used instead))
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 3 cups good quality beef stock reduced to 1-3/4 cups
• 1/2 cup Silver Palate Good Old Apricot Mustard Sauce (or other mustard sauce)
• 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves or 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
• 12 juniper berries (slightly crushed)
• 2 medium rutabagas (peeled and coarsely chopped)
• 1/2 pound baby carrots (peeled)
• 1/2 pound pearl onions (peeled with an 'x' cut in root end)
• 1/4 pound small white mushrooms (wiped and trimmed)
• Chopped parsley - Optional (to garnish)