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Irish Beef Stew

Beef, Delicious, Ethnic, Irish, Meat, Stews, Vegetables - No Comments » - Posted on March, 11 at 7:15 am

It’s that time of year again where we typically start thinking of things we can eat or drink to celebrate St. Patty’s Day. I know when growing up, my family would typically make some version of corned beef, and boiled cabbage, with an occasional potato or two. This time of year also excites me as it is when corned beef goes on sale at the local markets, and when I pick up a couple of them, just for storage for cooking later on in the year. But this is not about corned beef, this is about Irish stew.

Irish Stew Recipe

I make beef stew throughout the year as it is something that is not only really easy to make, but it is pure comfort all around. But this time of year, a put a little twist on the standard beef stew, and that is by adding some awesome beer to it.

The great thing about any stew, is that you can make it your own. Root vegetables, chunks of meat, and a great broth, cooked low and slow make any stew pretty delicious, plus the addition of herbs, and when you throw in wine, or beer, it just make things better.  Happy St. Patty’s and enjoy the Irish stew.

Ingredients:

Heat a large cast iron skillet on medium heat and add the oil.  To a medium sized bowl, add the flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper, and mix well. Add in the large chunks of beef, and toss to coat each piece of the beef. Shake off any excess flour and set and place about five pieces in the skillet.

The goal is to brown the beef, each side, and this will take a couple of minutes per side, however the cast iron holds great heat and really assists you here. Once the pieces are browned, place on a plate, or directly in your slow cooker, which I prefer, otherwise, plate in a large pot on the stove. Repeat the process with the remaining uncooked beef.

Once all of the beef is browned, add in the onions and garlic, and stir in the skillet, keeping in mind that the skillet will be really hot. This will cook quickly. After a couple of minutes, add in about 3/4 of the stout, to deglaze the skillet. Use a wooden spoon and scrape any of the delicious bits from the bottom of the skillet and incorporate into the beer sauce. Add in your tomato puree, beef stock, and mix to smooth out the paste.

Add the sauce to your slow cooker, or pot on the stove, top with the carrots, and pour the remaining beer over the top.
Cook low and slow for approximately 4-5 hours, or until the beef falls apart when it encounters a fork.

Now you are ready to plate. I like to serve this on a large plate, with a serving of Irish colcannon. The flavors of the stout really do something wonderful to the stew. It is unlike a deep red wine on a traditional beef stew, and the subtle flavor really allows this to be a major hit during St Patty’s season. Enjoy.

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Irish Colcannon

Delicious, Ethnic, Holiday, Irish, Kids, Sides, Vegetables - No Comments » - Posted on March, 9 at 7:18 am

Simply put, there is something to be said about a great bowl of mashed potatoes. I have a variety of recipes on this site, however, there are only a couple that I really go to, the ones that I find to be super comforting, and the ones that go great with most every comfort dish you could imagine.

Then, along came colcannon. Do not get startled on the fancy name. It basically means killer mashed potatoes with kale, or cabbage for that matter, however my preference leans towards the great color of kale.

Irish Colcannon Recipe

There is nothing too fancy about this dish, but I must say, this Irish colcannon is a huge favorite in this house, and what a great way to get some great greens in along the way. Let’s call them healthy mashed potatoes, and the greens always make up for the butter!

Lets get started.

Begin by adding your potatoes to a large pot of water. Cover and bring to a boil, then reducing the heat to medium, and slightly uncovered as to not boil over. Cook until fork tender, roughly 25 minutes.

In the meantime, add the milk and onions to a sauce pan, and cook on medium to low heat to warm everything through.

To another small pot of water, add the chopped kale, and bring to a boil, then cover, reducing the heat to a simmer, and cook for about 20 minutes.

Once the potatoes are fork tender, drain, and return them back to the pot on the stove. Allow to let the potatoes cook, evaporating the rest of the water. Strain the kale and squeeze out any moisture by gently pushing on it with the back of a spoon.

Get your masher out, toss in the four tablespoons of butter. Add in the milk and onion mixture, and begin to mash into a nice creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper, and mix again.

Add in the kale, and mix until everything is incorporated. Taste. Season with any additional salt and pepper.

To plate, add a bit to a small bowl, make an indention into the center, and add in one tablespoon of melted butter.

The Irish colcannon is really amazing. Like I said, the addition of kale, and the warmed onion and milk mixture make this truly comforting. Oh yeah, and if you are wanting to bring it up to another level, add a bit of cooked, crisp bacon. Well, that is for another day. Enjoy.

If you like these, you will also like the awesome Irish Champ.

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Shrimp and Avocado Salad on Crispy Wontons

Appetizers, Delicious, Fruit, Salad, Seafood, Vegetables - No Comments » - Posted on March, 7 at 2:53 pm

Back when my wife and I were dating, I made here a really great salad. To this day, I have not forgotten that salad, as it was not only creative in how I presented it, but it was just full of great flavor. So recently, my wife just landed a great job, and after working so hard around the house for the last several months, I thought what a better way to show her how I felt for her, and one way to do this, was through this wonderful shrimp and avocado salad.

Shrimp and Avocado Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette

The ingredients are simple, yet when combined, really pack the fresh flavors that you would expect in every bite. I think that this might be my wife’s number one salad nowadays, and I think I know why. Lets have you decide.

Ingredients:

Begin by making the vinaigrette. To a large bowl add the grapefruit and lime juice, vinegar, sugar, along with the olive oil. Whisk until it is nice and creamy. Add in the ginger, salt, and pepper and set aside.

To a large skillet, add the two tablespoons of the canola oil and bring to a medium to high heat. Add in the garlic, cooking to release a bit of the aroma, about a minute, then toss in the shrimp. Cook for about 6-8 minutes, or until it is a nice pink color, being careful not to overcook them. Remove from the skillet and place them in a bowl, setting aside to let cool.

Clean out the skillet and add in the cup of oil, bringing it back to a medium heat. Add a couple of the wontons, only cooking for about 30-60 seconds per side as they brown quickly. Remove them from the oil, and place on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining wontons.

Add the chopped onion, avocado, tomato, and cilantro to the vinaigrette. Add the cooled shrimp and garlic to the mixture, and stir to combine all of the ingredients. Place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to let all of the flavors set in.

To plate, add one wonton as the base. Top with some of the shrimp and vegetable mixture. Add another wonton to that, and repeat. Repeat with one more wonton and salad mixture. Drizzle a bit of the grapefruit vinaigrette around the base, and serve.

My wife likes to eat the salad by picking up each wonton and eating it that way, while I just break right into it. However you stack it, this salad is not only refreshing, but it is really light, and delicious. Throw in some chopped mangos, or pineapple, and you have got yourself some more creative work. I hope you enjoy.

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