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St. Patrick's Day: O'Donoghue's Beef Stew

Source of Recipe

Desmond P. O'Donoghue (as passed on from the Gaelic list)


List of Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds round steak, or stew steak
3 medium carrots
3 medium parsnips
1/2 cup barley, pearled
8 potatoes
stock or soup mixture (beef or oxtail)
Salt
Pepper
Mixed herbs



Recipe

Boil some water in a large saucepan, sufficient to cover the meat and have approx 1" left above. Put in the chopped (large chunks) meat, lower heat to keep the stew simmering, put in the chopped/diced carrots and parsnips, add herbs, salt and pepper to taste, leave simmer for a while (say 20 mins). Add the peeled whole potatoes and some stock/soup mixture or cornflour { cornstarch mixed with cold water] to thicken, keep the mixture simmering and stir occasionally; after about 1hr from start-time taste and check the potatoes. Remember the best stews are left on for a long time 1 1/2 hrs or more.