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Artists who paints in oil en plein aire. Member of the three member Plein Aire Cottage Artists. Members: Mary Rose Holmes, Violetta Chandler and Helen Tilston

Sunday, November 25, 2012

From The House of Edward & Ballymaloe House Recipe

Book "From the House of Edward, sits on top of handpainted chest by Josianne, "A Mother's Love Oil Painting Helen Tilston
Friends from Ireland are arriving any moment now.  Been 'n Guinness is in the oven, slowly simmering.  Darina Allen from Ballymaloe House created this version.

Ballymaloe Beef with Guinness

Beef with Guinness is ultra-easy to prepare, should be made several hours ahead (allowing you to spend time with your guests while you’re reheating the stew), and it makes the house smell wonderful while it is cooking. The Guinness stout beer not only helps tenderize the beef, it also gives a rich malty flavor to this chunky stew. It is fairly inexpensive, improves greatly overnight as stews are meant to.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
2 pounds lean stewing beef
3 Tablespoons oil
2 Tablespoons flour
Salt and freshly ground pepper and a pinch of cayenne
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
1 large clove garlic, crushed (optional)
2 Tablespoons tomato puree (paste), dissolved in 4 tablespoons water
1-1/4 cups Guinness stout beer
2 cups carrots, cut into chunks
Sprig of thyme
Trim the beef of any fat or gristle, cut into cubes of 2 inches (5cm) and toss them in a bowl with 1 tablespoon oil. Season the flour with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch or two of cayenne. Toss the meat in the mixture.
Heat the remaining oil in a wide frying pan over a high heat. Brown the meat on all sides. Add the onions, crushed garlic, and tomato puree to the pan, cover and cook gently for about 5 minutes.
Transfer the contents of the pan to a casserole, and pour some of the Guinness beer into the frying pan. Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve the caramelized meat juices on the pan.
Pour onto the meat with the remaining Guinness; add the carrots and the thyme. Stir, taste, and add a little more salt if necessary.
Cover with the lid of the casserole and simmer very gently until the meat is tender — 2 to 3 hours. The stew may be cooked on top of the stove or in a low oven at 300 degrees F. Taste and correct the seasoning. Scatter with lots of chopped parsley.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

PS  I took artistic licence and used short ribs instread of cubed beef.  I have used sirloin and premium cuts of meat in the past, with success.

I baked an apple tart. When in America, "apple pie" is a must


The Salvador Dali Museum, Tarpon Springs and Ringling Museum are on the itinerary.
Ballymaloe House - where we visited this Fall


The house is primped and aired for them.   This week my autographed  copy of From The House of Edward" Essays by Pamela Terry arrived.  I have been savouring the essays and like a precious and rare wine I feel it must be rationed and savoured.   It is a treasure and I strongly recommend it.

I have been following Pamela's blog for a couple of years and, like all whom I follow, my heart delights with each new posting.

Pamela has no idea that I am mentioning her book here today.



67 comments:

  1. It's a lovely vignette, Helen, of book, charming chest, and your fine painting, and the stew is ever so tempting. I wish I were more organised and habitually made it the day before.

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    1. Hello Mise

      I have no doubt you are a wonderful cook and well as baker.
      You are so right that making Beef n Guinness the day before enhances the flavour

      Helen xx

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  2. Oh Helen, what delicious post! Your recipe sits already in my cooking files....
    Your friends will be delighted. Enjoy the company!
    I am sure Pamela would love to know, she is always so happy to find out about the journey her books are taking.
    This book sits on my bedside too. Aren't her essays delightful? I gifted myself with it and I am so happy I did!
    I guess we are all kindred spirits!, which makes me so happy to know I am not alone in my ramblings.

    Happy times!
    xoxo Victoria

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    1. Hello Victoria
      I am happy you will use my recipe. Our friends are so much joy and my have we burned the midnight oil and some of the early morning oil too!!.
      I treasure my copy of Pamela's book and it is also it is beautifully bound in velvet.
      So happy to know you and your blog

      Helen xx

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  3. Dear Helen - I have been mulling over what to cook on Christmas Eve when the family arrive, and you have given me my answer - grateful thanks.
    I love your first picture - the adorable cabinet painted with wisteria and your equally adorable painting. Is it a self portrait?
    I must look up the Pamela Terry book is sounds a lovely book to own.

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    1. Hello Rosemary

      I am delighted you have selected my recipe for Christmas Eve. Men, in particular, love this recipe. It sounds masculine!
      Thank you, the chest belonged to my late mother in law and when we bought this house in the sunshine state, I had Josienne finish and paint the chest. The second chest has bougainvillia. She is a wonderful artist from France.
      The model in my painting is a friend whose baby was born on my birthday two years ago.
      Pamela is a writer I believe you will like.

      Helenxx

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  4. Lovely post Helen. After reading about Pamela's book on several blogs, I am thinking I might just have to order a copy for Christmas... I found her blog recently and must confess I find it charming. I hope you are having a wonderful time with your visitors. Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)

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    1. Hello Veronique

      Thank you for visiting and for your kind words.
      I know you will enjoy Pamela's book. It is unique. Beautifully bound and captures the readers imagination.
      I have been thinking of what author to compare Pamela but shall leave that to individual readers.

      Having a wonderful time with our friends. The late nights are killing me. Hee Hee

      Helen xx

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  5. Yes, I agree, her blog is a thing of beauty. I have often made stews with guinness,as you say it tastes even better the next day. That will be a lovely welcoming meal for your guests. I also love Darina Allen's daughter-in-law Rachel's recipes. She used to work alongside Darina at the cookery school.

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    1. Hello Sulky Kitten

      Pamela writer so beautifully, as you do too. Beef and Guinness is delicious. I love the Ballymaloe School from Myrtle Allen's original book, though Darina and now Rachel. We had tea at Ballymaloe House recently and it was most memorable.
      I am surprised Sulky Kitten cooks beef, I thought it would be fish solely in your household!!! Ha Ha

      Helen xx

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  6. I can almost imagine the wonderful smell that filled your house while the wonderful essays filled your heart. My kind of a perfect day; especially when it is topped off with the arrival of friends!

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    1. Hello Jackie and Joel

      Your wording is so beautiful and fully describes Sunday at our hosue. We are loving entertaining our guests from Ireland. There is much laughter and nonsense around our house.
      Have a glorious week
      Helen xx

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  7. Hi Helen,
    I have made other stews numerous times, but never tried flavoring one with Guinness. I must give your recipe a try soon. The book sounds intriguing.
    Sanda

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    1. Hello Sanda

      I think you will find both the recipe and book to meet with you satisfaction. Hope your week is special, as you are.

      Delete
  8. Mmmm Helen, I can smell it from here, and apple pie to follow, what a treat! The painted chest of drawers is so beautiful. Enjoy your new book, and the company of your friends.
    Thank you for your recent visit and comments. I know what you mean about there not being people in the video, perhaps we could imagine ourselves there? Have a wonderful week, love Linda x

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    1. Hello Linda

      I know you will be able to capture the aroma being from the land of Guinness. Josienne a French friend, an importer of French antiques is the artist who finished my lingerie chest and painted the wisteria. I have a chest in my second bedroom which has a painted bougainvillia painted also by the same artist. I am enjoying Pamela's book, it has the ability to transport the reader to gentler times and other lands.

      Helen xx

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  9. Fun recipe! One of my son brews beer and loves to cook--I will pass the recipe on to him.
    The vignette in your picture is beautiful; your guests are lucky to have you as hosts.

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    1. Hello Jen

      How interesting that you son brews his own beer. I am sure he will enjoy this recipe.

      Thank you for your kind words and we are equally lucky to have good friends.

      Helen xx

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  10. Dear Helen,
    Your painting' A Mother's love" is beautiful above that lovely cabinet.
    How wonderful to have friends over ,you will have so much to talk about
    I can smell your stew from here.
    I might give it a try, never cooked it before.
    thank you Helen
    wishing you a happy Monday
    val

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    1. Hello Val

      Thank you for your compliment on my painting and cabinet.
      We are enjoying our friends very much and I wish I had the energy of an eighteen year old to match theirs!!!. Europeans stay up much later and the early morning light is beginning by the time they say "Oiche Maith"

      I think you will like the recipe.

      Fondly

      Helen xx

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  11. I need to try that beef stew. It looks easy enough for someone like me, who is not the best meat cook.

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    1. Hello Loree

      I have no doubt you will succeed with this recipe and the flavour is delious. Good luck

      Helen xx

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  12. I hope your guests arrived safely and I'm sure they were well cossetted by your stew and hospitality.
    I love the ingredients and as we are well served by a farm butcher we shall be eating this soon. I love Guinness to drink but have to watch out for the calories!
    Beautiful chest of drawers topped by a delightful painting and I have added Pamela's blog to my weekly read.
    Thankyou for introducing me to so much wonder.
    Cheers Gillian

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    1. Hello Gillian

      Our friends are here and dinner was a big success. The Guinness tenderizes and flavours the dish.

      I treasure my lingerie chest, painted by a great artist and furniture finisher. I am happy you found Pamela's blog. She is a quality writer and her dog is a beauty.

      Helen xx

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  13. Helen,

    You always amaze us with generous posts of wonderful things in life. Recipes, museum trips, poems, art, such hospitality...always happy to stop in and stay a while. Have a wonderful visit with friends.

    Cheers!

    Bette

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    1. Hello Bette

      Why thank you for such words of kindness. I shall try to live up to your encouraging words.

      Your blog is a treasure and brings me delight with each visit.

      Helen xx

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  14. What a lovely meal to welcome your friends. I shall have to try out that recipe. Pamela's blog looks delightful with such lovely pictures and wonderful words, I can see how you wish to saviour her essays.
    Sarah x

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    1. Hello Sarah

      Dinner was delicius. I served acorn squash as a side and it was new to them.

      It is wonderful the bloggers we meet and the friendships formed in blogtopia.

      I hope your week is special

      Helen xx

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  15. I hope your dinner party was a great success Helen. The ingredients of your recipe sound good!

    Enjoy your book!

    Madelief x

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    1. Hello Madelief

      Our guests enjoyed dinner very much, thank you.
      It is a relatively simple recipe and enjoyed by all.
      I am rationing the book to just one story a day.
      I do not want it to end but will enjoy the continued writings of Pamela on her blog.

      Helenxx

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  16. I would like to thank you for the efforts you've put in penning this blog. I really hope to see the same high-grade blog posts by you in the future as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my own website now ;)
    Here is my site ... dentist tulsa

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    1. Many thanks for your kind words and wishing you much success

      Helen

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  17. That sounds so robust and filling! Steam up the windows!

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    1. Indeed you are so right, robust, filling and steamy...
      What fun

      Helen xx

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  18. Dear Helen: Thank you for this recipe. I am copying down... we once had a little Scottish cook book and my husband had to go through it making each one (one of his grandmothers was a Scottish woman who also drank a lot...I think it is funny) and it was fun. Sending you love...xx

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    1. Hello Mona

      I am happy you will use my recipe. What a novel idea to dutifully go through this Scottish cook book page by page. No doubt with surprising and tasteful results.

      Sending kisses to Messrs Sweet and Puffy Pants

      Helenxx

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  19. I came over from The House of Edward and this recipe sounds delicious.

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    1. Hello Terra

      A big warm welcome to you for visiting me. I am delighted to find you here.
      I shall be visiting your blog shortly

      Helen xx

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  20. This dish sounds delicious! How fun to be entertaining faraway guests. Your itinerary sounds wonderful. I hope you are enjoying the festivities!

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    1. Hello Jacquelne

      Thanks for stopping in. It is always a joy to hear from you.
      The dish was excellent and I am wishing I had made a double supply and put some in the freezer for quick dinners.
      We are enjoying being with our friends who are fascinated by the beauty of Florida and the fun loving people they meet.
      Helen xx

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  21. Hi Helen, I'm sure your guests loved your stew. I'll have to try making this sometime - although my spoil-sport vegetarian husband might not appreciate it - which means all the more for me! Enjoy your time with your friends! I'm sure they love the Florida sunshine. XO

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    1. Hello Jeanne
      It must be a challenge at times when a partner if vegetarian. I am sure you manage most of the time. The dish was delicious and definitely most flavourful when made a day or two in advance.
      The sunshine is beautiful. Have a great week

      Helen xx

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  22. Hi Helen,
    So glad you mention Pamela's book as part of the menu for visitors...it's a treasure of a book, something to ration out a bit at a time, the words being so heavy with meaning and richness.
    Is it good to be back in sunny Sarasota?

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    1. Hello Becky

      Welcome back to sunny Sarasota. This weather is spectacular.
      We have had lots of visitors and I am looking forward to curling up with a cup of tea and reading.

      Helen xx

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  23. Dear Helen - Happy December!
    Thank you for sharing this recipe. Beef with Guinness stew sounds divine, especially this time of year. I love a hearty stew with rustic bread. And as you stated, even better the next day or two. I love easy recipes, and hope you'll share more of them. Thanks!
    Warmly,
    Loi

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    1. Hello Loi

      I think you will enjoy this recipe and it is better made a few days in advance as this allows the flavours to meld and the Guinness to do it's tenderizing.
      Hope you are all ready for Christmas.

      Helen xx

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  24. Good morning Helen! Thank you for appreciating my Cuban Sugar Plum Fairy post and the fashions are fun, aren't they? I am not a person for red, but this year, it has captured my attention!

    Oh how wonderful your recipe sounds. Though our weather this season is VERY UNSEASONABLY WARM, a stew like this is still in order. Loi is right; some rustic bread would top it off for me! AND Pamela is a fabulous writer. I must check out her book that you mention!

    Many thanks, Anita

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    1. Dear Anita

      I think you will appreciate Pamela's book. It is so beautifully bound and commands respect.

      I am sure you will look terrific in red.
      Wishing you a great week

      Helen xx

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  25. Hi Helen ... lovely recipe,Darina's are always fabulous:) I was delighted to read your comment about the Clery's clock:) Have a great week!
    ~Anne xx

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    1. Hello Anne

      I agree Darina is a master chef and her recipes are generally easy to follow. Your post on Clery's clock brought back many fond memories.
      Stay warm

      Helen xx

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  26. Oooh the recipe sounds splendid, what a lovely welcome for your guests.
    Pamela is an amazing writer, I plan to treat myself to her book for Christmas !
    Enjoy your company, there will be lots of giggling and tippling going on :)
    ~Jo

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    1. Hello Jo

      You have that right about giggling and tippling and sampling the leftover Guinness!
      We had a lovely visit and I am always sad when they leave.
      Have a great week

      Helen xx

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  27. Helen,
    The stew sounds sound wonderful to have fireside! Pamela has so much writing talent!

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    1. Pamela certainly is blessed with the gift of writing and I am so happy she has published this book. I hope there are many more.
      Have a great week

      Helen xx

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  28. Oh my this sounds tasty!!! Wishing you a most enjoyable visit! Cathy

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    1. Hello Cathy

      We had a wonderful time and lots of reminiscing and giggling.
      Have a great week

      Helen xx

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  29. Oh, how lovely this stew sounds! Being a fan of Ireland I must try it out! It sounds like a heart and soul warming dish - just the right thing for these cold days! The Dali Museum would be a pleasure for me too! Christa

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    1. Hello Christa

      I loved hearing of your visit to Ireland and I know you are a great cook, so this dish would be easy for you.
      The Dali houses the largest collection of Dali's work, outside Spain.

      Have a lovely week

      Helen xx

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  30. O how much I would like to have eaten that meal Helen!! Divine! Greetings from Ireland and a big hug in appreciation of your support:~))

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    1. I wish you could have joined us for this meal too.
      Always lovely to hear from my native land and your blog always bring joy

      Helen xx

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  31. That "sounds" pretty delicious, dear Helen§

    I hope - no, I'm sure - that you have a wonderful time with your Irish friends!

    Now, first I like to thank you so much for reading me regularly and all your very friendly comments! So, so much appreciated by me!
    And I do like to apologize for not commenting from my side for a long time.......things are a bit "funny" here, mildly spoken.
    And somehow I'm running out of time in my life....

    You are in my mind and I really do appreciate that you - you are in away "one in a million" - like almost all of my music!

    Therefor I dedicated partly my today's post "A musical Sunday" to you, knowing that you have seen and heard Itzhak Perlman in person.
    Just as a little THANK YOU for being such a true reader to my blog!
    Hope that you'll like it.
    Very fondly, karin

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    1. Hello Karin

      Dinner was delicious and we burned the midnight oil and some more. I have not stayed up so late since my single days (3.00 a.m.)

      Your blog is always such a pleasure for me and your selection of music always pleases. I often re-play your selection of songs.

      You have paid me such a great compliment by dedicating your post to me. It made my day very special.

      I thank you for your friendship Karin. I fully understand when life gets in the way and steals up our time. Here's hoping your days go smoothly and that you have time to enjoy the music.
      My best always

      Helen xx

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  32. My goodness, this sounds yummy, Helen!
    So perfect for the weather we are having now.
    Wishing you a wonderful weekend.
    xo.

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    1. Hello Lisa

      I gather it is cold in your area and this is a perfect dish for this time of year
      Thanks for your good wishes and I return them to you.

      Helen xx

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  33. Good morning darling Helen....thank YOU for coming to sing with the angels. The faith and trust of a child is all anyone of us needs to enter into the kingdom of heaven, isn't it?

    Much love, Anita

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    1. Dearest Anita

      How beautifully you have said this. I know you must feel an added pain having been a school teacher. Our hearts are heavy in this household.
      Keep praying

      Helen xx

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  34. Lucky guests to be greeted with a wonderful dish from their homeland - it sounds yummy! And followed by apple pie - a perfect blend of Irish and American cuisine!
    Sounds like you have planned some great trips for your guests - I hope you all had a brilliant time!
    Gill xx

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