Braised Beef in Irish Stout 

• 1kg shoulder beef, cut into thin slices
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 leeks, 2 carrots, 2 celery sticks, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic 
• 250ml  well reduced beef stock
• 125ml stout
• Salt and black pepper
• 50g butter 
• 75g streaky bacon, diced 
• 100g wild mushrooms, if available, sliced 
• 50g small onions, peeled 
• 25g flour

Heat the oil in a large pan, brown the meat well. Remove to a pot. Next sauté half an onion, leeks, carrots and celery. Add to the meat plus the garlic. Pour in the stock and stout, season. Simmer gently for approx. 1 ½ hours. Remove the meat from the pot. Strain the liquid. Discard the vegetables. 

Place the meat back in a clean pot, plus the liquid. Sauté the bacon, mushrooms and remaining onion in 25g of butter. Add to the pot. Reheat the lot. Blend the flour with remaining butter. Stir it into the sauce, stirring well. Taste for seasoning.

Food for the Gods!