Guinness Beef Stew Recipe

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1 kg / 2 lbs of beef rump steak
• 2 large carrots
• 12 red shallots or small pickling onions
• 4 cloves of garlic
• ¼ cup of flour
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• 2 cups of good Irish Guinness
• 1 cup of beef stock
• 1 bouquet garni or 2 bay leaves
• freshly milled black pepper
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ½ cup of chopped prunes (optional)
• freshly chopped parsley
• salt to taste

Peel the carrots and slice them thickly. Peel the 12 shallots and garlic cloves, crush the garlic and prepare a bouquet garni. Trim the steak and cut into small 2 cm / ½ inch cubes. Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan, add the shallots and carrots, sauté until slightly brown on all sides and transfer to a dish. In the same saucepan brown the meat, adding the garlic once the meat is nicely browned on all sides. Add the tomato paste and flour to the saucepan and stir through. Cook on a low heat for around ½ a minute, being careful not to burn the flour. Slowly stir in the beef stock and Guinness, a little at a time. The stew will thicken as you do this. Add the bouquet garni and bring the stew to the boil. Return the onions and carrots to the saucepan and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent any catching. Chop the prunes in half and add them to the stew. Continue to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the meat is tender and the carrots are cooked. Remove and discard the bouquet garni, add salt and freshly milled black pepper to taste and sprinkle with some fresh parsley. Serve with fresh crusty bread or accompanied with seasonal vegetables and a good mound of Colcannon.

(Serves 4 to 6)