Stout and Beef Stew Served over Egg Noodles

Martha Stewart Living, 2008

Makes 6-8 servings

    6 strips bacon 1-in pieces                                     
    2 tablespoons vegetable oil                                    
    3 pounds beef chuck roast 2-in pieces                          
    Salt and pepper                                                
    3 cups chicken broth                                           
    1 med. yellow onion coarse chop                                
    4 cloves garlic minced                                         
    1 pound cremini halved                                         
    1 tablespoon flour                                             
    1 tablespoon dijon style mustard                               
    2 cups stout such as Guinness                                  
    7 sprigs thyme                                                 
    3 bay leaves                                                   
    1 pound fingerling potato halved                               
    12 ounces pearl onions or cipollini, blanch and peel           
    1 pound egg noodles                                            
    4 tablespoons unsalted butter                                  
    2 tablespoons fresh dill weed                                  
    1/2 cup horseradish coarse grate                               
    1 tablespoon distilled vinegar                                 
    2 med. carrots julienned, 4G                                   

Cook bacon with 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot over medium heat until crisp and browned. Drain on paper towels. Pour fat into a bowl, and reserve.

Wipe out pot with paper towels. Add 2 tablespoons reserved fat to pot, and heat over medium-high heat until hot.

Season beef with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Working in batches, cook beef until browned on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a bowl. Add more reserved fat between batches if needed.

Pour fat from pot into the bowl, and reserve. Add 1 cup stock to pot, and cook, stirring and scraping bottom, for 1 minute. Pour over meat.

Heat reserved fat in pot. Add yellow onion and garlic, and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, and cook for 2 minutes. If bottom of pan begins to burn or onions begin to stick, stir in about 1/4 cup of the remaining stock. Sprinkle flour over vegetables, add stard, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Return beef to pot. Add remaining stock, the stout, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour 20 minutes.

Add potatoes and cipollini or pearl onions, and partially cover. Simmer until potatoes and onions are tender but not mushy, about 25 minutes. Stir in bacon. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain. Add butter and dill to warm noodles, and toss. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine horseradish and vinegar. Ladle stew over noodles, and garnish with carrots, dill, and horseradish.