Lamb and Guinness Stew

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Hubby and I went on a cruise a few weeks ago. It was an amazing chance to spend some time with great friends in a tropical location. If you noticed a lack of commenting and instagramming, it was due to my lack of internet access. Being completely unplugged from work, the internet, and the world was a nice break and something that we really needed after the hectic last few months of moving.

Coming back to Ohio after a week in the Caribbean was a shock to the system. I think my body forgot what it felt like to be in 20 degree weather. When we got home from our trip, I felt chilled to the bone and was craving some pure comfort food. I made this lamb and Guinness stew within a week of getting home.

Hubby and I really enjoyed this stew. The rutabaga is a vegetable that I’ve actually never cooked with. It had a slightly sweet flavor that complimented this stew very well. Whether you’re returning from a Caribbean vacation or just want some comfort food, you should make this lamb and Guinness stew.

One Year Ago: Roasted Vegetable and Spinach Salad and Almond Joy Brownies
Two Years Ago: Sweet, Salty, Chewy, and Crunchy Brownies and Pot of Gold Cupcakes for St Patrick’s Day
Three Years Ago: Ina Garten’s Mustard Roasted Potatoes and Homemade BBQ Sauce
Four Years Ago: Alton Brown’s The Chewy AND Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Five Years Ago: Scallop Burgers and S’mores Cupcakes

This Lamb and Guinness Stew is perfect for keeping you warm during these cold weather months

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 lb lamb shank (2-3 shanks)
1/4 cup flour
2.5 cups chopped onions
2 cups beef stock or canned broth
1 12-ounce bottles Guinness stout
2 carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large parsnips, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 rutabagas, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions:

Heat vegetable oil in heavy large Dutch oven over high heat. Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Coat lamb with flour; shake off excess. Reserve excess flour.

Add lamb to Dutch oven in batches and brown well. Using tongs, transfer lamb to bowl.

Reduce heat to medium. Add onions to Dutch oven and sauté until transluscent, scraping up any browned bits, about 5 minutes. Add reserved flour and stir 1 minute.

Return lamb shanks and any accumulated juices to Dutch oven. Add beef stock and Guinness. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until meat is almost tender, about 1 hour.

Add carrots, parsnips and rutabagas to Dutch oven and simmer uncovered until meat and vegetables are tender and stew thickens slightly, about 40 minutes. Spoon fat from surface of stew. Simmer 20 more minutes.

Do ahead: Stew can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Rewarm stew over low heat before serving.

Recipe adapted from bon appetit

Holiday, Main Meal, Meat

6 comments »

21 Responses to “Coconut Almond Cake with Blackberry Lime Curd”

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Ashley Bee (Quarter Life Crisis Cuisine) — March 21, 2013 at 9:14 am
I am really very terrible at frosting/decorating cake :\ This came out way better than anything I could make!
- beantownbaker — March 25th, 2013 @ 1:18 pm
  
  Ha – I’m pretty bad too. That’s why I love putting stuff on the sides. Coconut does a good job of hiding my sloppy decorating skills.
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Nutmeg Nanny — March 21, 2013 at 3:11 pm

Coconut and almond, you’ve already got me reeled in 🙂 two of my favorite flavors rolled into what looks like a moist, fluffy cake. YUM
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Natalie @ Once Upon a Cutting Board — March 21, 2013 at 6:57 pm
This cake looks so beautiful and the texture is perfect! I love curd as a filling between cake layers but i never knew the trick for preventing it from seeping out – thanks!
- beantownbaker — March 25th, 2013 @ 1:19 pm
  
  Yea, it’s definitely very helpful. Even more so when you ACTUALLY do it 😉
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Megan — March 21, 2013 at 7:20 pm
We’ve all had those cake experiences. It looks like it turned out well in the end! And it sounds delicious!
- beantownbaker — March 25th, 2013 @ 1:20 pm
  
  Glad to hear I’m not the only one. I think it’s easy to get wrapped up in thinking we all need to project that all of our baking/cooking endeavors are hugely successful…
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Ashley — March 21, 2013 at 8:50 pm
Regardless of any kitchen mishaps, this cake looks divine! Layer cakes always look so special, and the addition of fruit here makes me swooooon!
- beantownbaker — March 25th, 2013 @ 1:20 pm
  
  I agree. Layer cakes always look special 🙂
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Michelle — March 22, 2013 at 7:49 am
Oh this looks amazing. And aren’t we all our own worst critics when we bake? I can’t tell you how many times I say something is terrible and my husband looks as me like I’m crazy.
- beantownbaker — March 25th, 2013 @ 1:21 pm
  
  I agree. At the end of the day, it tasted delicious and no one knew about all the issues I had with the cake. I did want to keep it real on the blog and not give anyone any false sense that things are always easy for me…
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Erica @ In and Around Town — March 22, 2013 at 9:04 am
I always shy away from layer cakes – yours always come out well, I need some more practice I think! Your “mistakes” are great learning points – did not know about the frosting damn, but it makes so much sense!
- beantownbaker — March 25th, 2013 @ 1:23 pm
  
  That’s why I wanted to talk about them. I definitely could have posted about this cake without mentioning any of the issues I had. I’m hoping they’ll help someone (myself included) to learn something for the next time they tackle a layer cake. Yours will definitely improve with practice. Mine surely are. I really want to make that coconut cake you just posted!
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Shannon — March 22, 2013 at 3:12 pm
i’m always hard on myself too, but you wouldn’t know by the taste i’m sure! looks absolutely wonderful, not to mention i’m drooling over the flavor combo 🙂
- beantownbaker — March 25th, 2013 @ 1:24 pm
  
  I agree, I think we all are. I wanted to keep it real with this post in case anyone else found it to be a difficult set of recipes…
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Rosie @ Blueberry Kitchen — March 23, 2013 at 4:18 am
Yum, your cake looks so delicious and I really love the sound of the blackberry lime curd!
- beantownbaker — March 25th, 2013 @ 1:27 pm
  
  Thanks!
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Laura Dembowski — April 26, 2013 at 2:37 pm
I love coconut cake, and blackberries are my favorite fruit. Such a great idea to put them together. This cake is gorgeous! I would happily take a large slice . . . or maybe the whole thing 😉
- beantownbaker — April 27th, 2013 @ 10:02 am
  
  Then you would definitely love this cake!
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Kristina Koranek — August 10, 2013 at 9:06 pm
Could anyone post the blackberry lime curd recipe? The link is no longer working.

Thanks!
- beantownbaker — August 12th, 2013 @ 7:39 pm
  
  Sorry about that. I updated the recipe link, but here it is as well: http://www.beantownbaker.com/2013/03/blackberry-lime-curd.html