Braised beef with stout and oysters: RECIPE

This traditional Irish dish shows off the country’s best ingredients, featuring soda bread, stout and oysters.

Ingredients
For the braised beef
2 tbsp olive oil
1 kg/2lb 4oz shin of beef, cut into 2cm/¾ in pieces
2 onions, finely chopped
3 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 thyme sprig, leaves removed
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp tomato purée
250ml/9fl oz veal or beef stock
440ml/16fl oz Irish stout
For the oyster soda bread
50g/1¾oz butter
2 potatoes, peeled, and cubed
2 slices Irish soda bread, crusts removed and cut into small triangles
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
3 fresh oysters, shucked
1 tsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp finely chopped fresh tarragon
To serve
2 tbsp snipped fresh chives
2 tbsp fresh chervil leaves
2 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.

For the braised beef, heat the oil in a casserole dish placed over a high heat. Add the beef and seal on all sides until coloured. Remove the beef using a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion, celery, garlic, thyme and bay leaf to the dish and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add the tomato purée and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Return the meat to the casserole dish and pour in the stock and stout. Cover and cook in the oven for 2–3 hours, or until the beef is very tender. Once cooked, set aside the meat, strain the stock and place in a saucepan over a low heat until reduced to a thick consistency.

Cook the potatoes in boiling, salted water for 10–15 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside.

For the oyster soda bread, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small frying pan. Add the soda bread and fry until crispy. Stir in the Dijon mustard and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.

Heat the remaining butter in a small frying pan and sauté the oysters. Stir in the lemon juice, garlic, tarragon and potatoes. Combine together with the soda bread pieces and set aside.