Irish Stew with Smoked Salmon on Guinness Bread

St. Patrick’s Day is one of my favorite holidays. I studied abroad in Dublin, and somehow, I feel as if I’ve landed in America’s equivalent: Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The city did not break the record this year for most bars per capita in the US (apparently just shy of New Orleans), but we have more than enough for a proper cheers on St. Paddy’s Day!

Because we all should  celebrate luck and good fortune, I’ve decided to amp up the veggies in the most delicious Irish Stew I have ever had. Serve it with a side of Smoked Salmon on Guinness Bread…and well, you’ll have your friends saying, “Oh Goodness, My Guinness!” Welcome to a taste of excitement!

Irish Stew (Serves 8)

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
• ½ cup flour for dredging (you will not use all of this)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 medium onions, chopped
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable or beef stock
• 2 cups Guinness Stout
• 6 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
• 2 parsnips, peeled and thickly sliced

Note: You can serve this recipe plain or over mashed potatoes (traditional)

Directions

1.  Place flour in a medium bowl. Dredge raw meat cubes in flour until coated on each side. Shake off excess flour to avoid burning.
2.  Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a large skillet, and brown meat on all sides. Placed browned meat into a large stock pot or kettle, and set aside.
3.  In the same skillet (no need to wash it), heat 1 tsp olive oil. Add onions and cook until they begin to caramelize (about 5 minutes).
4. Pour 1 cup of the vegetable or beef stock into the skillet, and scrape up the brown bits. This gives the stew a nice brown color, adding lots of flavor.
5. Add onions/stock mixture to the beef stock pot.
6. Pour the remaining 1 cup of stock and Guinness over the meat (you can add more Guinness, stock, or water if more liquid is desired). Heat to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover, and simmer for about 40 minutes.
7.  Meanwhile, prepare vegetables. When the meat is tender, add carrots and pasnips to the stock pot (about 20 minutes after simmering meat).
8. The stew is ready when the vegetables are tender and the stew has slightly thickened.

Smoked Salmon Guinness Bread

Ingredients:

• 3 ½ cups Whole Grain Flour
• 1 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1 cup Oatmeal
• 2 ½ tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 ½ Tbsp Brown Sugar
• 3 Tbsp Butter
• 2 cups Skim or Low-Fat Milk
• ¾ cup Molasses
• 1 cup Draught Guinness
• Neufchâtel Cheese (Lite cream cheese)
• Smoked Salmon
• Dill (Fresh or Dried)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease two 9X5 inch bread pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix butter with all dry ingredients, until dough has the consistency of bread crumbs.
3. Add milk, molasses, and Guinness. Mix until dough is wet.
4. Spoon dough into prepared pans.
5. Bake at 350° F for 40-45 minutes, or until golden brown.
6. Allow bread to cool before slicing.
7. Place a thin layer of Neufchâtel cheese on the cooled, sliced bread. Serve with a thin layer of smoked salmon and a dash of dill.