Irish Beef Stew

Irish Beef Stew - Seriously Soupy

For St. Patrick's Day this year I wanted to make a traditional Irish Beef Stew. Although this is a slight deviation from soup making, I thought it would be an interesting recipe to try out - using similar cooking techniques that I have been using on the site. For the stew, I used a flavorful base of onions, rosemary, garlic, parsley, tomato paste, thyme and bay leaves that was slowly cooked with beef tips and dark beer. The result was a distinctive and hearty stew that can be also made with mutton or lamb. Enjoy and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Irish Beef Stew
Ingredients:
2 cups of water
drizzle of olive oil 
1 pound of beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces 
1 large yellow onion, chopped up
2-3 stalks of carrots, peeled and chopped up2-3 potatoes, cut up (I kept the skins on)
4 cloves of garlic, minced 
1/2 bottle of dark beer- (I used Trader Joe's Black Toad Ale)
1 can of tomato paste 
1 tablespoon of thyme 
1 tablespoon of rosemary
2-4 bay leaves
Bunch of parsley, chopped
sea salt 
pepper

Directions:
Drizzle olive oil in a pot and chop up the onions and garlic and add them to a pot. Cook on medium heat and add in the thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, parsley, tomato paste and some water and let cook for 10-15 minutes. Cut up the carrots and potatoes. Stir the mixture and add them into the pan. Reduce flame and add in the beef and beer. Let cook for an hour, checking on it periodically and tasting as you go. Enjoy! 

Serve with Irish Soda Bread by Simple Bites.


Seriously Soupy Serena

Happy St. Patrick's Day—The Soups

 Shamrocks on St. Patty's Day—Image from Sarah Nod Grass

I have been very incognito these past few days and not because I wanted to be away but I was very busy working on a play! In my other non-soupy life I write plays (and other content) and was given the unique opportunity to be a part of F.A.C.T's INSTANT THEATRE event. Essentially, this involved six playwrights, six directors, and 18 actors. where the playwrights wrote a 10-minute play overnight, presented it to the actors and directors the next day. They then had to memorize it and stage it overnight for performances the following two evenings. So, you can imagine how busy that was and it is only now (Wednesday) that I have been able to get in the groove of my routine and attend to my beloved soup blog. Since it is also St. Patty's Day I thought it would be fitting to feature some soups that can be enjoyed on this day. Let me know if you have others to suggest and I'll be up with some new soups VERY SOON!

• Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup- Taken from Woman's Day magazine, this soup uses deli-sliced corned beef, potatoes, onions, apple juice, and of course green cabbage to create an ode to a traditional Irish dish in no time.

• Colcannon Soup with Potatoes, Leeks and Cabbage- Personally, I never heard heard of colcannon, but this dish according to ,  is a "traditional Irish dish made of mashed potatoes, kale or cabbage, onions, milk or cream and butte." Sounds pretty amazing and one that is also an healthier verison to the traditional dish with half of the carbs and less calories.

• Healthy Green Soup- For something a little lighter, but still focuses on the signature color of today (GREEN), you should test out Gina's soup. The recipe contains celery, green chard, spinach, and even some white beans and potatoes-pretty hearty and healthy if you ask me. Great side for today, or really anytime when health is your game.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Seriously Soupy Serena