Poblano Irish Stew and Irish Coffee

Okay I have to admit that my efforts to petition heaven to stop all this cold weather nonsense is not working.  Upon waking this morning the ground was wet and the air was cold.  If I wanted to live like this I would have grown up in Wyoming or some other God forsaken land where trout and grizzlies live.  So I'm giving in and making Poblano Irish Stew with Irish Coffee.  It's not the brisk 105 degrees that I find comforting but It will due!

Poblano Irish Stew

The combination of roasted poblano chiles and fresh thyme really ties this amazing dish together.

3 Lbs. stew meat, cut into 3/4" cubes

1 Lb. lamb, cut into ¾ inch cubes

3 cloves Garlic

1 White onion cut into 1/2" cubes

Oil for cooking

8 cups Beef broth

1 cup red wine

2-1/2 Lbs. New potatoes, cut into 1/2" cubes and rinsed

3-4 medium carrots cut into ½ inch rounds

4 stalks of celery, cut into ¼ inch pieces

2 Poblano chiles, grill-roasted, seeded, peeled, and chopped

3 Tbl. Flour

3 Tbl.  Cold water

2 Tbl Butter

1 Tbl. Fresh thyme leaves, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Brown the meat in a heavy pot or Dutch oven.  Add the onions and garlic, sauté until soft.  Deglaze the pot with the beef broth and wine. Add the potatoes, Carrots, celery and roasted chiles.  Simmer over low heat, for three hours or more, until beef is tender.

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the flour and water until it forms a smooth paste.  Add a few cups of the hot broth from the stew and whisk together until smooth.  Add back into the stew and stir well.  Raise heat to a low boil and stir well.  Immediately return heat to low and stir in butter and thyme.  Season to taste.  Serve in big soup bowls with fresh bread.

Serves 8

When I say whiskey I'm talking about Bushmills Irish Whiskey, no not the black bottle, not the green bottle .  I drink what my Irish grandmother Margret Rose drank, the regular bottle of Bushmills!

Irish Coffee

Just the thing for a cold winter night

1 pot Fresh brewed coffee (not flavored)

Old Bushmill's Irish Whiskey

Fresh whipped cream

Fresh cream

Sugar

Pour 1OZ of whiskey into a large coffee mug. Add coffee, and a little cream, if you like. A teaspoon of sugar is added to take the edge off the whiskey. Top with whipped cream.