ingredients
6 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, bruised
250g smoked bacon lardons
100g plain flour, seasoned with salt & pepper
800g beef rump, diced
700ml guinness
1 stick celery
1 bouquet garni
400g carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
200g mushrooms, quartered
200g barley
Serves 8
instructions
Preheat the oven to 160C. Heat half the oil over a medium heat in a pan.
Add the onions and brown slightly. Add the bruised garlic cloves. Leave to cook for a minute.
Remove the onions and garlic with a slotted spoon and transfer to an oven proof casserole or large lidded pan.
Add the bacon lardons to the pan and fry until crispy. Place into the casserole with the onion mix.
Place a bit more oil in the pan.
Coat the beef in the seasoned flour. Add the beef to the pan and colour on each side.Transfer to the casserole.
Pour the guinness into the pan and stir over a high heat until all of the floury residue from cooking the beef is dissolved. Add the liquid to the casserole along with the celery stick, bouquet garni and carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Place the lid on and leave to cook in the oven.
After an hour add the barley, stir and place the lid back on. Simmer for another hour.
Meanwhile fry the mushrooms until dark and meaty, stir them into the stew ten minutes before it’s finished cooking.
Serve with a buttered green vegetable such as cabbage, chard or spinach.
