Irish Lamb Stew with Guiness Beer

Ingredients, Serves 8-10:

• 3 pounds lamb shoulder/neck (used for stew)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
• 6 stalks celery, cut into 1/2" slices
• 2 large yellow onions, chopped into medium pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bunch fresh rosemary
• 1 bunch fresh thyme
• 1 bunch fresh parsley
• 2 quarts beef stock
• 12 ounces Guinness stout
• 1 cup pearl barley
• 2 teaspoons corn starch
• Salt and pepper to taste

In keeping with the St. Patrick's day tradition I decided to make authentic Irish Stew.  Of course, not being from Ireland, I'm not sure how authentic it is!  Well, using pearl barley and Guinness beer should hopefully make up for not being Irish!

First we need to prepare the pearl barley.  Bring 3 cups of beef stock to boil and add the pearl barley.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  Then remove from heat.

Now take some Thyme, Parsley and Rosemary stems and tie them together with cooking twine.  Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a deep sided pan and brown the lamb meat.  Salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat and place in a bowl.  Sprinkle some flour over the meat.

Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery to the pan you cooked the meat in and saute, tossing to evenly cook the vegetables.  Add the herb bundle, pearl barley, guinness, potatoes and beef stock so that it just covers everything.  Heat until just boiling and then reduce heat to low simmer and cook for 3 hours.  Stir stew occasionally.

After 3 hours, add salt and pepper to taste and add the corn starch (mix in some cold water first) and chopped parsley.  Mix and stir for a couple minutes until slightly thickened.  Pour into a nice presentation dish and serve it up!

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