A few summers ago, my husband and I spent 10 days traveling throughout Ireland. One of our favorite things to do, after a long day of urban or rural hiking, was to find a pub and have a pint of Guinness, followed by a bowl of hearty, Guinness beef stew and listen to live music. This recipe is based on The Irish Pub Cookbook, that I picked up while in Ireland. To make it healthier, I reduced the butter, oil, and beef, and increased the vegetables. Plus I added some tomato paste and red wine vinegar for some extra flavor.

Serve over a bowl of mashed potatoes.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 lb sustainably raised, organic boneless beef sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• all-purpose flour for dredging
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 medium onions
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 (14.9 oz) can Guinness stout
• 5 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
• 4 parsnips, peeled and thickly sliced
• 4 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1-2 tbsp organic tomato paste
• 1-2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp flour

DIRECTIONS

1. Season the meat with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. In a stockpot or large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with the oil. Working in batches, cook the meat on all sides for 5-7 minutes, or until evenly browned. Remove from the pot. Stir in onions and cook 3-5 minutes, or until soft.
2. Return all the meat to the pot and add enough of the beef broth and the Guinness to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 60-70 minutes,  or until the meat is nearly tender. Add the carrots, parsnips, turnip, and tomato paste and cook for 30-40 minutes, or until the vegetables and meat are tender and the stew begins to thicken.
3. Mix 3 tbsp flour with 1/2 cup of stew liquid in a small bowl. Stir into the stew and cook for 5 minutes longer.
4. Add red wine vinegar, season with salt and pepper to taste, stir, and remove from heat.
5. Serve over mashed potatoes in shallow bowls.