Irish Stew

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 - 4 cups vegetable broth

1 can (473ml) vegan stout beer, like Guinness

3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

2 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks

8 oz mushrooms, quartered

2 potatoes, diced

1/2 cup tomato paste

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon dried thyme

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Method:

• Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, and when hot add in the celery, onion, and garlic.

• Sauté until the onion becomes translucent and just begins to brown, about 5 minutes.

• Sprinkle in the flour. Stir well to coat the veggies, and cook for another minute to heat up the flour.

• Add 2 cups of vegetable broth, and scrape the bottom of the pan with your spoon to get any bits off the bottom.

• Add in the beer, all of the remaining veggies, tomato paste, and spices. The beer will foam up, but the bubbles and alcohol will cook right out. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 – 15 minutes until the veggies are fork-tender, but not mushy. The stew will be very thick!

• If you prefer a thinner stew, feel free to thin it out to taste with 1 to 2 more cups of vegetable broth. Remove bay leaves before serving, and serve hot.