Recipe: Beef and Guiness Stew (2)

Serves six to eight

2lb lean stewing beef
3 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons flour
salt and freshly ground pepper and a pinch of cayenne
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
1 large clove garlic, crushed (optional)
2 tablespoons tomato puree, dissolved in 4 tablespoons water
1 1/4 cups Guinness
2 cups carrots, cut into chunks
sprig of thyme

PREPARATION

Trim the meat of any fat or gristle, cut into cubes of 2 inches (5cm)and toss them in a bowl with 1 tablespoon oil. Season the flour with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch or two of cayenne. Toss the meat in the mixture. Heat the remaining oil in a wide frying pan over a high heat. Brown the meat on all sides. Add the onions, crushed garlic and tomato puree to the pan, cover and cook gently for about 5 minutes. Transfer the contents of the pan to a casserole, and pour some of the Guinness into the frying pan. Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve the caramelized meat juices on the pan. Pour onto the meat with the remaining Guinness; add the carrots and the thyme. Stir, taste, and add a little more salt if necessary.
Cover with the lid of the casserole and simmer very gently until the meat is tender - 2 to 3 hours.
The stew may be cooked on top of the stove or in a low oven at 300 degrees F. Taste and correct the seasoning.
Scatter with lots of chopped parsley.
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Guinness Beef Stew

Ingredients:

1kg (2lbs) sirloin steak
2 tablesp. dripping
2 onions (large)
2 cloves of garlic
cup plain flour
1 cup beef stock
1 cup Guinness
3 carrots
2 bay leaves
1 teasp. dried thyme (better still..fresh thyme)
6 prunes
2 tablesp. chopped parsley

Chop onions, crush garlic and slice carrots.
Cut meat into small chunks.
Cut prunes in half and remove the stone.
Fry onions in dripping.
When golden brown add crushed garlic.
Cook for 1 minute.
Remove onion and garlic from the frying pan and put aside.
Add meat to remainder of dripping in pan and fry until meat is brown on all sides.
Reduce heat and add flour.
Coat the meat with the flour and add stock slowly to form a thick sauce (no lumps if it can be helped!).
Add Guinness and simmer.
Add onions and garlic and carrots, herbs and season with salt and pepper.
Sir all ingredients simmer for 1-2 hours.

Don t cover!
This gives a thick sauce.

Sir occasionally so that the meat doesn t stick to the bottom of the saucepan.
Add the prunes a half an hour before the end.
Add parsley before serving.
This dish can be prepared the day before and reheated gently before serving.