Stringfellow Hawke and I were once flying a top secret helicopter mission into the Colombian Amazon.
En route, my darlings, I was tickled pink to learn that he is a big fan of Irish stew. Apparently he had picked it up while in Connacht, learning to referee peil Ghaelach matches.
As we choppered our way into the heart of cartel darkness*, he relayed the recipe below to me.
“I got 2 rules when it comes to this stew, and you do gotta observe ‘em” he said to me through the headset, above the rhythmic beating of the helicopter’s rotorblades.
“No garlic, no wine. It ain’t called French stew, after all!”
Quite, darlings.
Quite.
R.
X
*I could tell you more, mes choux, but I would have to kill you.
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STRINGFELLOW HAWKE’S IRISH STEW
Serves 6
Ingredients
1.5kg diced mutton
3 tbsp plain flour
3 tbsp beef dripping
3 large onions, sliced
6 baby carrots, sliced
3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
2 bay leaves
500ml lamb stock
500ml stout
Handful of parsley, chopped
Instructions
Prepare the meat
Pat the mutton dry, season with salt and pepper, and dredge lightly in flour.
Brown the mutton
In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven (titter ye not, darlings), melt the dripping. Brown the mutton in batches until nicely caramelised. Set aside.
Layer and build the stew
In the same pot, layer half the onions, carrots, and potatoes. Add the browned mutton, then top with the remaining vegetables. Add bay leaves.
Deglaze and add liquid
Pour in the stock and stout. The liquid should just cover the ingredients — add a little extra if needed.
Slow cook
Bring to a gentle simmer, cover tightly with a lid, and cook on a very low heat for 6 to 8 hours. Stir once or twice during cooking, making sure nothing sticks to the bottom.
Final touches
Check seasoning. If you, like Stringfellow, you prefer a thicker stew, remove the lid for the last 20–30 minutes to reduce slightly.
Serve
Ladle into deep bowls, sprinkle generously with chopped parsley, and serve with bread to mop up the broth.