Beef, Beer, and Barley Stew

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound beef stew meat
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cups coarsely chopped onion
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups (1 1/2-inch-thick) slices carrot
• 2 cups chopped peeled turnips (about 1 pound)
• 3/4 cup uncooked pearl barley
• 5 garlic cloves, minced and divided
• 2 (8-ounce) packages mushrooms, quartered
• 3 cups water
• 3 cups low-salt beef broth
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle dark beer (such as stout)
• 3 small beets
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add beef to pan; sauté 10 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan. Add onion, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs to pan. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Uncover; stir in tomato paste. Increase heat to medium-high. Add carrot, turnips, barley, 4 garlic cloves, and mushrooms; sauté 3 minutes. Add beef, 1/2 teaspoon salt, water, broth, Worcestershire, and beer; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
3. While stew is simmering, trim beets, leaving root and 1 inch stem on each; scrub with a brush. Place in a medium saucepan, and cover with water; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until tender. Drain; rinse with cold water. Drain; cool. Leave root and 1 inch stem on each beet; rub off skins. Cut each beet into 6 wedges.
4. Combine parsley, thyme leaves, and 1 garlic clove. Ladle about 2 cups stew into each of 6 bowls. Top each serving with 3 beet wedges, about 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley mixture, and 1 teaspoon horseradish.