Irish Beef Stew

When the weather turns cold and rainy -- even here in LA -- there is nothing like a warm stew to brighten spirits. And, it's a super simple, perfect make-ahead meal.

I dredged the chopped chuck in flour and quickly seared the pieces in a mix of butter and oil. As the pieces browned I layered them in a dutch oven in which I had already sauteed a handful of cloves of chopped garlic. Then I added in a bottle of Guinness, 1 cup of red wine, a dollop of tomato paste, a good pinch of thyme, a sprinkle of worcestershire sauce and about 6 cups of beef broth and brought the pot to a boil. I let the mixture simmer over low heat for an hour, covered.

Meanwhile I sauteed carrots, chopped onions, and baby potatoes in butter until just golden. When the stew had cooked for an hour I added in the vegetables and allowed the pot to simmer for 45 minutes until the vegetables were tender and flavorful. As a last step I stirred in a bag of thawed frozen peas and the stew was ready to serve or wait in the fridge for another dinner.

Made on the weekend, even better during the week.