Irish Beef Stew

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 pounds stew beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 large garlic cloves, minced
6 cups beef stock or canned beef broth
I cup of Guinness beer
1 cup of fine red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 7 cups)
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled carrots
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

1 Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add beef and sauté until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add beef stock, Guinness, red wine, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

2 While the meat and stock is simmering, melt butter in another large pot over medium heat. Add potatoes, onion and carrots. Sauté vegetables until golden, about 20 minutes. Set aside until the beef stew in step one has simmered for one hour.

3 Add vegetables to beef stew. Simmer uncovered until vegetables and beef are very tender, about 40 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Tilt pan and spoon off fat. Transfer stew to serving bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. (Best when prepared up to 2 days ahead. Salt and pepper to taste. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before serving.)

Serves 2 to 4..

Picture shown is double recipe and served 7 (with some going back for thirds……..Oscar).

BREAD BOWLS

1. Cut the top of the loaf out with a knife angled toward the center, so you end up with a round pyramid "plug".

2. Press the inside of the loaf with your fingers out from the center to make more room inside. (Wetting your fingers a bit helps.)

3. Put the bowl in the oven for about 15 minutes at 350. It will dry out nicely.

4. When you remove the bowl from the oven, let it cool a bit, then press out the inside of the bowl just a bit more. The now-dry bread will compact even more, creating a roomy and sturdy bowl for the stew.