In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, today’s recipe features beer and potatoes in one of Ireland’s national dishes: a stew. This stew is a little different in that the meat and vegetables are served with the concentrated beef stock/beer pan juices poured over them.
Guinness, Ireland’s most famous stout, gives this stew its deep flavor. The dark, coffee-colored beer has many culinary uses. While it may look like it would be a heavy beer, its flavor is smooth and light. In cooking, the stout almost caramelizes, becoming sweet. That’s why you also see it used in cakes, cookies and brownies.
Serves: 6 / Preparation time: 30 minutes / Total time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cubed into 1½- to 2-inch pieces (pat the cubes dry with paper towel)
8 ounces frozen or fresh pearl onions
1 cup Irish stout such as Guinness
1 cup defatted beef stock or reduced sodium beef broth
Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
1 bouquet garni of parsley, thyme and bay leaf
1½ pounds favorite potatoes, peeled and cut into thick slices
8 ounces large white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon brown mustard
Fresh thyme sprigs and minced parsley for garnish
In a large, heavy Dutch oven or stockpot heat the oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add the lamb pieces and brown evenly. Remove the lamb and set aside. Add the pearl onions to the pot and brown for 3-4 minutes. Return the browned lamb to the pot, add the stout and beef stock, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add the bouquet garni and sliced potatoes. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour.
Add the sliced mushrooms, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat and vegetables and place on a warmed, deep-rimmed serving platter. Cover with foil and keep warm in a 200-degree oven. Strain the cooking liquid; set aside.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and whisk in the flour to make a roux. Cook until bubbly and golden, whisking constantly. Slowly stir in the reserved cooking liquid, and cook until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Whisk in the mustard and adjust seasonings to taste. If the mixture is too thick, add more stout a little at a time. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables, garnish with thyme and parsley.
Cook’s note: If using fresh pearl onions, place in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak for 5 minutes, then drain. Skins should peel away easily.
From Lucy Saunders of Milwaukee. Tested by Susan Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen