Guinness Beef Stew

I don't really do much with my slow cooker, other than serve warm food from it. But I've been making this recipe since it appeared in Cook's Country in March 2007. It's great, and easy. After two weeks of sun and 60+ degrees, we have a cold, rainy weekend in the Garden State, and this is on the counter already simmering away for dinner tonight.

Serves 6-8

3 lbs boneless beef chuck stew meat
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups Guinness Draught (not the extra stout)
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp dried thyme
1 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 bay leaves
5 carrots, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1 1/2 lb baby red potatoes, scrubbed clean
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp minced parsley (fresh)

Pat beef dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tsp oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook half of beef until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker insert and repeat with additional 2 tsp oil and remaining beef.

Add remaining 2 tsp oil, onions, and 1/4 tsp salt to skillet and cook until onions are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add broth, 1 1/4 cups stout, sugar, thyme, chocolate and bay leaves - bring to boil using wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits. Transfer to slow cooker insert.

Add carrots, parsnips, and potatoes to slow cooker insert. Cover and cook on low until meat is tender, 9-10 hours (or cook on high for 6-7 hours).

Set slow cooker to high. Whisk flour and remaining 1/4 cup beer until smooth, then stir mixture into slow cooker. Cook, covered, until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper, and discard bay leaves.

Steak Fajita Marinade

I made this from The New Basics cookbook (of the Silver Palette ladies). I still have the copy that Ward and Allison gave to me when they moved in together - it was a double-copy - they both owned it. It's been well-used and it's binding is totally falling apart. But I can't bear to buy a new one because I would never be able to transfer all my notes and smiley faces... It's definitely one of my faves.

P.S. the original recipe called for 1.5 lbs of skirt steak. I used flank steak because that's what the store had. Also - this was delicious in fajitas, but it would have been very good just to eat as, well, steak!

• 1.5 pounds beef skirt steak
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 TBS olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 small chile pepper, minced - whatever hot pepper you like
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt
• ground black pepper - however much you like

1. Cut the steak crosswise to create four pieces.
2. Stir the lime jiuce, oil, cilantro, chile pepper, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper together.
3. Put the steak in a large zip-lock bag and pour the marinade over the meat.
4. Throw into the fridge for a few hours.
5. Grill - eat, enjoy.

Chipotle Beef with Lime Crema

chipotle beef chili with lime crema Bon Appétit September 1999 Makes 6 to 8 servings.

3 pounds ground beef ( I cut it down to 2-2.5 lb)
3 cups chopped onions
6 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 cup chili powder ( I cut it down to 1/4-1/3 c. and then used 6 T chipotle chiles instead)
2 14 1/2-ounce cans beef broth
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes with added puree
1/2 cup stout or dark beer
2 tablespoons minced canned chipotle chilies
2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
2 15 1/2-ounce cans black beans, drained, rinsed

1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon grated lime peel
Corn tortilla chips

Heat heavy large pot over high heat. Add beef; sauté until cooked through, breaking up meat with spoon, about 8 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Add onions and garlic to same pot. Sauté until onions are tender, 8 minutes. Add chili powder. Sauté until fragrant, 3 minutes. Add beef, broth, tomatoes, stout and chilies. Cover partially; simmer until chili is thick, stirring often, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
Gradually stir cornmeal into chili. Stir in beans. Simmer until heated through. Season generously with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over medium heat.)
Whisk sour cream, lime juice and lime peel in small bowl. Season with salt.
Spoon chili into bowls. Spoon lime crema atop chili. Serve with chips.

The crema is a must! It added really good flavor to the soup. I didn't think that there was that much heat to the soup, but I like it hot. However, for people who don't like a "spicy" soup it would cut the heat.

Enjoy!