Irish stout stew and mash
This rich, meaty stew is the perfect winter warmer. Beef and Irish stout melt together to create wonderfully tender comfort food.
Ingredients
For the stew
- olive oil, for frying
- 500g/1lb 2oz shin of beef, cut into medium-sized cubes
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 small parsnip, peeled and finely diced
- 1 stalk celery, finely diced
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 200ml/7fl oz Irish extra stout
- 200ml/7fl oz beef stock
- salt, to taste
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley, to serve
For the mash
- 2 large Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp butter
- 45²µ/1½´Ç³ú Parmesan, grated
- 125ml/4½oz full-fat milk, warm
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
For the stew, heat the olive oil in a large pan and once hot, add the beef cubes. Season the beef with salt on all sides while it is browning. Once the beef is browned all over, remove it from the pan. Add the onion, parsnip, celery and carrot and cook for 8 minutes, or until softened.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the tomato purée, stirring well and cook for another two minutes. Add the fresh thyme, rosemary and bay leaves to the pan and mix thoroughly. Add the beef back into the pan, sprinkle in the flour and mix well, then pour in the stout and mix well again. Pour in the beef stock, bring the mixture to a simmer, cover the pan and cook on a low heat for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
For the mash, boil the potatoes in a pan of boiling, salted water for about 20 minutes or until fork-tender, then drain and mash.
Gradually mash in the butter, Parmesan and milk.
Mix until completely smooth, then season with salt and black pepper, to taste
To finish the stew, after an hour and 45 minutes, remove the lid and let it cook uncovered for a further 15-20 minutes, or until the stew has thickened and the beef is tender. Before serving, mix in 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley.