Serves 6-8

2 pounds/1kg lean stewing beef

3 tablespoons/45ml oil

2 tablespoons/30ml flour

salt to taste

black pepper to taste

1 pinch cayenne

2 large onions (coarsely chopped)

Optional: 1 large clove garlic (crushed)

2 tablespoons/30ml tomato puree (dissolved in 4 tablespoons water)

1 1/4 cups/300ml Guinness stout beer

2 cups/100g carrots (cut into chunks)

1 sprig 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/15ml 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 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 in 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 can be cooked on top of the stove or in the oven at 300F/180C/Gas 4. When it’s done, taste and correct the seasoning. Scatter with lots of chopped parsley and serve.