I think Valentine’s day dinners should be special, but not in a lets-try-to-get-into-the-restaurant-everyone-in-town-wants-to-go-to sort of way. More in a lets-cook-something-we-don’t-usually cook sort of way. Which is why I made a long slow beef stew this year.

In addition to feeling slightly indulgent, beef stews make the whole house feel warm and cosy. A good thing for cold dark February days. This one is a combo: Food and Wine’s stew, with Jamie Oliver’s finish (a “kinda hot-pot” potato topping, instead of the usual puff pastry shindig).

Guinness Beef Stew

Serves 4-6.

1 lb (500 g) good quality stewing beef
1½ tbsp (22 mL) flour
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
1 cup (250 mL) onions, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp (5 mL) fresh thyme, finely chopped
⅛ tsp (0.5 mL) chili flakes
1 tbsp (15 mL) tomato paste
1 can (440 mL) stout beer (i.e. Wellington, St. Ambroise or Guinness)
2 cups (500 mL) beef stock
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium sized celery root, peeled and diced
3 parsnips peeled and diced

2-3 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled,
another sprig of thyme
olive oil/ a knob of butter
salt and pepper

Part 1 (I did this the day before):

1. In a medium bowl, toss together the beef and flour until well coated, season generously with salt and pepper.

2. In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add beef to pot and brown well on all sides, about 15 minutes. Make sure not to burn the bottom of the pot.

3. Remove beef from pot and set aside, add more oil to pot if necessary and add onions and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Add garlic, thyme, chili flakes and tomato paste, cook for 2 minutes longer.

5. Stir in stout while scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot. Add beef and beef stock.

6. Bring to a boil and then lower to simmer. Simmer, covered, for 45 minutes over low heat.

7. Add carrots, parsnip, and celery root and cook for another 60 minutes (or until beef is tender) with the pot’s lid slightly open (1 inch/2 cm) to allow steam to escape.

8. Beef mixture is finished when meat is tender and liquid has reduced to a sauce consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper if needed and let mixture cool to room temperature.

Part 2:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and boil the potatoes for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, if reheating the stew from cold, put it on the stove and heat over med. heat until warmed.

4. When the potatoes are almost done, remove from water and when cool enough to handle, slice thinly.

5. Transfer stew to an oven safe casserole dish or pot (if not already in one) and top with potato slices, thyme, pat of butter, and salt and pepper.

6. Bake for 40 minutes, until stew is heated through and potatoes are golden (if needed, you can broil it for a minute or 2 to give the potatoes a bit more color.)

Serve with a light green salad, to cut the richness of the stew.