Irish Night

This past week the Sun was off from work.  Usually, the Wolf gets off work several hours before the Sun does and therefore our cooking begins at around 6:00.  However, taking advantage of the free time, we decided to make something that would take longer than we usually have time for: beef and Guinness stew.  Placed atop mashed potatoes and accompanied by sautéed red cabbage, this meal is perfect for less mild winters.  Or, you know, a night of drinking.

For the stew:
 Serves 12

 4 pounds lean stewing beef, trimmed and cut into bite size cubes
6 tablespoons oil
6 tablespoons flour
salt, pepper, Cayenne
4 large onions, coarsely chopped 
4 tablespoons tomato puree, dissolved into 8 tablespoons beef stock
 1 cup additional beef stock
2 cups Guinness stout beer
4 cups carrots
2 cups mushrooms
parsley

Toss beef in 3 tablespoons oil (if you do not have a large enough bowl, work in batches). In separate bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper, and Cayenne.  Toss beef in flour combination until lightly coated. 
Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil over high heat in large pan.  Brown the meat on all sides.

 Once meat is lightly browned, transfer to a large pot over medium heat.  Add onions, tomato puree mixture, and 1 cup Guinness. As this settles, add 1 cup Guinness and remaining 1 cup beef stock to the pan where you browned your meat. Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve caramelized meat and meat juices. 

 Once the bottom of your pan is completely deglazed, transfer contents into large pot.  Add the carrots and bring to a boil. Once boiling, bring down to medium low heat and simmer for about 1 hour.  

 After one hour, add mushrooms and bring back to a boil and then down to medium low heat.  

Wait.

After another 1 and a half to 2 hours, taste and correct seasoning.  Reduce (as we did) if you find the stew to be too liquid-y.   

As you are waiting on your stew, get started on your mashed potatoes.

For this you will need:

 4 pounds golden creamer potatoes, halved
salt and pepper
2 cups heavy cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Boil potatoes until soft.  Drain.  Pour heavy cream and add butter.  Mash until of desired consistency.   Salt and pepper to taste.  

 

Additionally, get started on your red cabbage.

Sauteed red cabbage:

 4 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, sliced
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 red cabbage, thinly chopped or shredded
4 tablespoons sugar
salt and pepper
2 teaspoons mustard seed (optional, we didn't use this)

Heat a skillet over medium high heat.  Add oil and onions and saute 2 minutes.  Add cabbage and keep turning it until it wilts, 3 to 5 minutes.  Add vinegar and turn the cabbage in it.  Add sugar, salt, and pepper (and mustard seed if using) and turn again.  Let cabbage cook for another 5 or so minutes or until ready to serve.

Serve stew over mashed potatoes and alongside the cabbage.

                                                         Eat!

 The beautiful Jenny Mintz brought over vegan margarita cupcakes for dessert.  Thanks, again! 

                                         I think Ariana was being Jules

                Special and rare guests Jules and Kerri (see below for more on this)

                                           Matt and Jon post dinner

                                   The Sun and The Wolf, post cooking

                                The Wolf, Ramer, Jenny, Joshua Bates

                                  The Wolf and his love, The Witch

                                         The Sun, Ariana, and Jenny

                                         Jules and Kerri, end of night 

On a side note, as we started to put out feelers for this upcoming weeks dinner, the Sun received an e-mail from Jules with a picture attached:

Dearest Sawl (the Sun),

Your dinners are really great and I cherish the times that I have had at them. But I'm at a point my life where I just cant commit to one Wednesday dinner. There are still so many places and things I want to see on a Wednesday nights. I'm just not ready to settle down. It's not your dinners, it's me. I hope in time, the emotional wounds I have inflicted on you will heal. Perhaps someday, we can even be friends again on Wednesday nights. Until then, you will forever be in my thoughts on Wednesday evenings. 

Sincerely,

Jules

In response to this, all is in fact forgiven as Jules stumbled upon this gem. . .the now official (not really, dont sue us) band for Wednesday night dinners:
The Sun and The Wolf The Band

Until next time. . .thanks for reading!