Irish Beef Stew

(serves 4)

3 tbsps butter
1 pound beef cubed for stew
1 white onion, sliced thin
2 hands­ful small but­ton mush­rooms, cut in half
1/2 cup beef stock from bouil­lon cubes
good splash Irish whiskey
good pinch dried thyme leaves
good pinch “mixed herbs”
salt and pepper

Melt the but­ter in a good heavy casse­role (the cas­tle yield­ed a le Creuset) and over fair­ly high heat saute the beef and onions until the onions are soft, then add the mush­rooms and stire well. Cov­er with stock and whiskey, add herbs and sea­son­ing and cov­er. Place in not-too-hot oven for about 20 min­utes. Serve with: Col­can­non