Beef and Guinness Stew, a St Patrick’s Day Treat, from The Careless Cook

 

Beef and Guinness Stew, a St Patrick’s Day Treat, from The Careless Cook

 

As you inebriates know, Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated every year on March 17, because, supposedly, that’s the day Saint Patrick passed on, circa 493 AD. Why should I add the word “supposedly?”  Because, the calendar and how we tell time, and even the number of days in the week have all undergone many changes over the centuries, but that’s another story.

 

While you’re sipping your first Guinness of the morning, here’s some things you may want to ponder:  Saint Patrick, one of three patron saints of Ireland, was born in Britain and as a young man was taken to Ireland by Irish raiders as a slave.  His life story is one of being in and out of slavery, returning to Britain, then returning to spend much of his life as a missionary in Ireland.  It’s said he brought Christianity to the Emerald Isle. Eventually, he was named as the Bishop of Irish Christians.

 

Did I say three patron saints?  Yep, besides St Patrick, there’s Brigit of Kildare and Columba.

 

We all know the Shamrock (clover leaf) is the symbol of Ireland, but did you know the three leaves represent the Holy Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost?

 

Another nugget: The name shamrock derives from the Gaelic word seamróg, meaning little clover.

 

And, by the way, St Patty’s day is a feast day, not a drink until the Guinness barrel runs dry and you have to switch to Jameson day, so today The Careless Cook offers a wonderful Irish feast, with a touch of Irish drink! Beef and Guinness Stew!

 

Beef and Guinness Stew (You’re going to need a large stew pot)

 

Heat Oven to 325ºF or 160ºC

 

Ingredients

 

2 tablespoons (or a wee bit more) of olive oil

2 ½ pounds of beef cut into small cubes

Salt and pepper to taste

3 minced garlic cloves

2 large sweet onions, diced

4 carrots, sliced into ½ inch thick rounds (about 5 cups)

2 large stalks of celery sliced (about 3 cups)

2 cups sliced mushrooms

6 ounces of bacon, chopped

3 (or more) tablespoons flour

1 can of Guinness (14.9 oz)

4 tablespoons tomato paste (buy a tube of tomato paste, keeps better)

4 cups (one full carton) of beef broth (plus more beef extract to enrich the flavor)

Fresh thyme, or substitute any herb you like.  I used a handful of fresh thyme and also 3-4 heaping tablespoons of Herbs de Provence.

 

Puttin’ It Together

 

I kept the instructions to five steps, so my faithful readers only need to count on one hand.  Oh, yes, I am considerate.

 

1.    Fry the bacon in the stew pot and cook until almost crisp and set aside.

2.    Add the mushrooms to the pot and cook until most of the water is gone.

3.    Add all the vegetables and cook until the carrots are wilted.  Take out and set aside.

4.    Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper, add it to the pot and cook until the meat is browned. Add the olive oil if needed. 

5.    Add everything to the stew pot, stir in the flour, then add the Guinness and beef broth, carrots and herbs and bring to a boil, then cover the pot and put it in the oven for three hours or longer.

 

 

I served the stew over rice, with some sliced raw onion on top.

 

Note 1: Taste the stew and add beef extract for more richness.

 

Note 2: Should you want to thicken your stew (I did!), dip out some stew broth in a small bowl and mix in two or three tablespoons of flour.  Mix until the lumps are gone and add it back into the stew. Stir well.

As you can see, making the stew memorable is not about following the recipe as much as it is following your taste buds!

 

Are you ready for the Jameson yet?  Me neither.  Time to pop another can of Guinness!  Sláinte!  Means Health in Gaelic and pronounced Slan-cha.

 

Want to feel more Irish? A few tidbits:  

 

What about Erin Go Bragh?  It means Ireland to the end of time and dates back to an Irish rebellion of 1798.

 

Why wear green on St Patrick’s Day?  Well, a couple of reasons.  Ireland is called The Emerald Isle and a stripe of green is on the Irish flag.  Traditionally, green is worn by Catholics and orange by Protestants.  Be careful if you’re in the wrong Irish neighborhood!

From Ireland to Your Land: Chicken Pie with Leeks, Potatoes, and Mushrooms

All who think the Irish have great food, say, “Aye!”  There seems to be but few responses.  I’m saddened. Ok, let’s give ‘er another try, but first let me tell you I promise a pint of Guinness to every brawny man and pleasing wench who screams, “AYE!”

Now that’s more like it, lads and lassies, or as they say in Gaelic, leaids and beans, which is pronounced lads and bans.

But, you’re finishing off that pint like a wee cuddler of a gull!  Come on!  Finish-er up! Grab another and let’s put this pie on the hearth!

The winter winds are beginning to bluster and wiggle through the cracks in the walls. Drag out the woolens and lay out the gloves and scarfs. Time for a pot full o’ cookin’!

This savory pie is Irish style, but call it what you will, on a chilly winter’s eve, chicken and vegetables in a rich sauce, with a flaky crust is just the thing to calm your ragged nerves, warm your tortured soul, and settle you in for a comfortable night.  Of course, you also need some Guinness.  Why do I even need to bring that up???

Chicken pie with Leeks, Potatoes, and Mushrooms

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

4 smooth skinned potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 leeks, washed and the tender parts sliced in rounds (not the heavy green leaves)

10-15 small to medium mushrooms, sliced thickly

1 heaping Tablespoon of dried tarragon

2 ½ Cups of milk

4 Tablespoons flour

6-8 Tablespoons butter (Hard to be exact.  Keep more butter handy.)

1 Package Phyllo dough

Salt and Pepper

Heat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC)

Boil the potato cubes in salted water until barely tender, then remove from the pot and set aside.

Add a Tablespoon or two of butter to a large frying pan and toss in the cubed chicken.  If you used unsalted butter, dust the chicken with salt.  Cook only long enough to get the chunks a bit brown.

Add the leeks and mushrooms to the frying pan and cook for three minutes.  Stir in the flour and cook for a minute or two longer. 

At this point, you may be asking, "What the hell is a leek?"  There's a photo below.  Related to the onion, it's much milder and in Europe is often used in soups and stews.

Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly,  then add the potatoes and tarragon, salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for about ten minutes.

Melt some butter in a small saucepan.  Paint the inside of a deep pie dish, line it with two sheets of phyllo dough, buttering in between sheets.  Phyllo tears easily, so if you end up with a patchwork, that’s fine.

Fill the dish with the chicken mixture, then cover with sheets of phyllo, painting with melted butter between each sheet, then paint over the last sheet.  Butter any scraps of phyllo left over and put them randomly over the dish in a haphazard manner.  (see photos)

Slide the chicken pie into the oven and cook for about 45 minutes, but don’t let the crust burn.

Satisfied your Guinness thirst?  Then bring out that bottle of Irish whiskey ya been hidin’ for just such a moment!  Let’s celebrate a great pie from a great land!   ♫ This land is Ireland, this land is your land… ♫

Scallop Chowder! Oh Yeah!

Wind and weather are getting a little nippy where you live?  No more playing tennis and golf in those fashionable, body hugging shorts and tank tops?  No more munching fresh salads and sipping chilled white wine in the bright summer sun, while soft breezes flow off the calm sea?

You guessed it.  Winter chill.  Sweater weather. It’s soup and stew time and I’m here to help.  How about a little of both?  Scallop Chowder.  Thicker than a soup, just a mite less substantial than stew.   However, when you taste this dish, stand by to down some whiskey from the ald coontry, and kiss yer chailín (ha-leen), which is Irish Gaelic for girlfriend.  But be careful, Irish Gaelic has something called the vocative case, which by inflection tells whether you’re speaking to someone or about someone.   I’ll leave that argument to you and your spouse.

As you may have guessed, this recipe has its roots in beer and whiskey and good times in Irish pubs.

So, let’s get on with it!  I’m feeling hungry, or as the Irish say it, Tá mé ag mothú ocras.  Well, the Irish may say it that way, but I can’t.

Scallop Chowder

3-4 Tablespoons butter

Just over a pound of FRESH scallops (quartered if you’re using the big ones! Don't discard the crescent shaped orange piece on the edge of the scallop.  It's delicious.)

1 Large onion chopped

2-3 celery stalks, diced (use the leaves too)

2 carrots diced (or use a handful of the baby carrots and chop them)

5-6 eggs sized potatoes, peeled and chopped (or use a couple of big potatoes)

4 sprigs of fresh thyme

A big fist full of fresh parsley, chopped

2 Cups milk, scalded (scalded = heated until almost boiling)

2 Cups vegetable or chicken stock (I use a carton of chicken stock, then add two more packets of dried chicken stock to make the stock richer.)

1 Can minced clams, juice and all (feel free to add any manner of assorted seafoods)

Squeeze of lemon juice

Salt and pepper

Melt the butter, add the scallops and cook until just changing color.  Remove from pan and add the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper, and cover.  Cook until the vegetables are barely soft.

Add the stock, thyme, and most of the parsley (save a little for serving) bring to a boil and cook until vegetables are soft.

Remove the thyme twigs, mash the vegetables a bit to thicken the liquid.  Add the scalded milk and the can of clams and the scallops.  Cook until heated through, but don’t let it boil!

Add more salt and pepper to taste and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Serve in bowls with a sprinkle of the remaining parsley

That’s it, ladies and gentlemen, a dhaoine uaisle!

Serve your delightful chowder with crusty bread…and maybe an Irish Stout or two?