GUINNESS STOUT RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Peel and finely chop the onions, then place in a really large casserole pan (roughly 26cm in diameter, 12cm deep), with a lug of olive oil and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Cook over a medium-high heat, until the onions start to caramelise, stirring as you go.
  2. Add the raisins and marmalade, then add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and booze. Give it all a good stir, then leave to gently simmer over a medium-low heat.
  3. Put the lamb shanks into a large frying pan (30cm wide) on a medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil – cook them in batches, if needed, turning regularly.
  4. Once the lamb has some good colour, pick in the rosemary leaves and move them around in the pan to get crispy, but don’t let them burn.
  5. Using tongs, move the shanks into the pan of onions, then pour in all their juices and the crispy rosemary.
  6. Add the stock, put the lid on, turn the heat down to low and leave to slowly blip away for 3 hours, or until the meat falls off the bone easily, turing halfway for even cooking.
  7. Once cooked, carefully move the shanks to a platter, making sure the meat stays intact.
  8. Whiz or liquidize the gravy with a stick blender until smooth, then allow to thicken and reduce on the hob.
  9. Quickly bash most of the mint leaves in a pestle and mortar with a good pinch of salt and the olive or rapeseed oil, then take to the table.
  10. Trim and finely slice the spring onions and toss on a plate with the remaining fresh mint leaves, a drizzle of cider vinegar and a pinch of salt.
  11. Add a little splash of cider vinegar and a few more splashes of Worcestershire sauce to the sauce, then ladle it all over the lamb shanks, pouring the rest into a jug for people to help themselves.
  12. Scatter the vinegary spring onions and a few fresh mint leaves all over the top, and drizzle the mint oil all around the shanks. Delicious served with potato and celeriac mash – the plate will be clean before you know it.

Steps:

• For the cake: heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper. In a large saucepan, combine Guinness and butter. Place over medium-low heat until butter melts, then remove from heat. Add cocoa and superfine sugar, and whisk to blend.
• In a small bowl, combine sour cream, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add to Guinness mixture. Add flour and baking soda, and whisk again until smooth. Pour into buttered pan, and bake until risen and firm, 45 minutes to one hour. Place pan on a wire rack and cool completely in pan.
• For the topping: Using a food processor or by hand, mix confectioners' sugar to break up lumps. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add heavy cream, and mix until smooth and spreadable.
• Remove cake from pan and place on a platter or cake stand. Ice top of cake only, so that it resembles a frothy pint of Guinness.