Irish Stew and Irish Soda Bread

 Irish Stew

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2-2 ½ lbs stew meat

1 yellow onion coarsely chopped

2 tsp chopped garlic

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 cup Irish stout beer like Guiness

4 cups beef broth

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 lbs small yellow potatoes cut in half

2 cups chopped carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

1/4 cup chopped parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large oven safe pot, heat extra virgin olive oil on high heat.  Season meat with ¼ tsp each salt and pepper.  Add half the meat to the pan in a single layer and cook 3-4 minutes per side until the meat is browned. Remove the meat from the pot and repeat with the rest of the meat.

Once all the meat is browned and removed from the pot, add the onions and cook for 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.

Return the meat to the pot with the onions and garlic and add flour. Stir to coat the meat with the flour and cook together for 2-3 minutes.

Add the beer, broth, tomato paste, potatoes, carrots and thyme to the pot. Season with the remaining salt and pepper. Bring stew to a simmer.

Cover the pot and place on the middle rack of the oven.  Bake for 2 ½ -3 hours or until the meat and veggies are tender.  Serve with a sprinkle of parsley.

Irish Soda Bread

4 cups all purpose flour

1/4  cup granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

6 tbsp cold butter  plus some to grease the pan

1 3/4 cup cold buttermilk

1 large egg

1 cup raisins (Optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Grease on all sides a 10” iron skillet with butter.  

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking soda.  Cut butter into small pieces and use your fingers to work the butter into the flour until it is crumbly.  Stir in raisins.  Make a well in the middle.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg.  Add mixture into the well in the flour mixture.  Using a wooden spoon, mix together until just moistened.  The dough will barely come together.  Don’t over mix.

Transfer dough to a flour surface.  Flour hands and shape the dough into a round loaf. Don’t overwork the dough or the bread will be tough.

Transfer dough to the greased  iron skillet.  With a knife, score the top with a large and deep “X”.  Bake in the oven for 50-55 minutes.

Place bread on a cooling rack to completely cool. 

Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Wine Pairings: 2020 Ruby Hill Cabernet Sauvignon and 2019 Luke Merlot