Lightened Irish Beef Stew (Printable version)

A hearty Irish dish featuring tender beef and creamy cauliflower mash for a wholesome, cozy meal.

# What you need:

→ Beef Stew

01 - 1 pound lean beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 medium onion, diced
04 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
08 - 1 cup dry red wine or additional broth
09 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
10 - 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
13 - 2 bay leaves
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
15 - 1 cup frozen peas

→ Cauliflower Mash

16 - 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
17 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
18 - 2 tablespoons low-fat milk or milk alternative
19 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
20 - Fresh chives, finely chopped for garnish (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat beef dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown beef on all sides until caramelized, approximately 3-4 minutes per batch. Transfer to a clean plate and set aside.
03 - In the same pot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables soften and become translucent.
04 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Cook for 1 minute to release aromatics.
05 - Return beef to the pot. Pour red wine over the mixture and scrape up brown bits from the pot bottom using a wooden spoon. Add beef broth and Worcestershire sauce.
06 - Bring liquid to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover pot and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is fork-tender.
07 - Remove lid and add frozen peas. Simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
08 - While beef braises, place cauliflower florets in a pot of salted water. Boil for 10-12 minutes until very tender. Drain thoroughly in a colander.
09 - Transfer drained cauliflower to a food processor with butter and milk. Blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
10 - Ladle hot stew into serving bowls over a mound of cauliflower mash. Garnish with fresh chives if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like comfort without the heavy feeling afterward, which is genuinely rare.
  • The cauliflower mash is so creamy you won't miss potatoes, a claim I wouldn't have believed six months ago.
  • Everything happens in one pot except the mash, which means less cleanup on nights when you need it most.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the beef—it's the difference between stew that tastes like boiled meat and stew that tastes like actual food, and it takes barely longer.
  • The cauliflower needs to drain completely or your mash will taste watery, a discovery that came after a few disappointing batches where I rushed the draining step.
03 -
  • Use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven because thin pots create hot spots that can scorch the bottom of your stew without you realizing it until it's too late.
  • Don't rush the browning step by crowding the pan—work in batches so the beef actually sears instead of steaming, and those dark crust bits are where most of the flavor lives.
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