Nothing warms the heart (and the stomach) in winter more than hearty soups and stew. I love Irish Stew, which is made with lamb, but you’ll love this hearty beef stew, too, enriched with Ireland’s favorite drink, Guinness Stout. You can omit the beer and replace it with red wine for a more French effect, substitute more broth for the beer, or save this recipe to serve around St. Patrick’s Day. It’s a great make-ahead meal for a busy family, and the raisins and caraway seeds offer a unique flavor. Feel free to add more or less of the vegetables to suit personal taste. Serve it with boiled new potatoes. This recipe is from my cookbook Flavors of Ireland, which will be released on amazon.com February 23. Enjoy!

 Beef and Guinness Stew

Serves 6–8

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 pounds boneless chuck beef, cut into 1-inch cubes

4 medium onions, chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

4 cups homemade beef stock or canned low-salt beef broth

1 (11.2 oz.) bottle Guinness draught

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1 tablespoon raisins

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

5–6 large carrots, thickly sliced

4–5 large parsnips, thickly sliced

1 medium turnip, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Boiled new potatoes for serving

1. In a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil and butter.

2. Dredge the beef in flour and, working in batches, cook for about 5 minutes or until all the meat is browned. With a slotted spoon, remove the meat and reserve.

3. Add the onions to the pan and cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until soft but not browned. Stir in the tomato paste and then stir in the broth and beer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Return meat to pan and stir in the caraway seeds and raisins. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil.

4. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Uncover and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes or until it thickens. Add carrots, parsnips, and turnips. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Uncover and cook for 10–15 minutes longer or until the vegetables are tender and the stew thickens. (Prepare and chill the stew up to 1 day in advance; reheat on stovetop or in Crockpot).

6. To serve, ladle stew into shallow bowls, sprinkle with parsley, and serve with potatoes.

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Editor's Note: Margaret M. Johnson, of Westhampton Beach, is the author of six cookbooks and her latest cookbook called, Flavors of Ireland will be released on Amazon on Feb. 23.