Irish Beef Stew

IRISH BEEF STEW

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 pound beef stew meat, cubed

1 1/2 cups stout beer (I used Guinness - seems fitting)

4 potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 1/2 cups chopped carrots

1 cup diced green cabbage

1 pinch cayenne pepper

2 cups water

salt and ground black pepper to taste

In a zippered storage bag, combine flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.  Add stew beef. Close bag.  Shake to coat.

Heat olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven.  Add beef and garlic.  Cook until beef is browned on all sides, stirring as needed.

Stir tomato paste with a small amount of water to dilute it .  Pour into the pan and stir.  Cook 5 minutes.

Pour 1/2 cup of the stout into the pan, scraping the bottom to loosen the bits off the bottom of the pan. Pour in the rest of the stout. Add carrots, cabbage, and 2 cups water.

Cover.  Reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

I recommend serving with a nice bread.