Not only does it taste great to drink, but the venerable dark brew from Ireland is also rather versitile in the kitchen as well. Use Guinness the next time you have your mates over for dinner, or ladies, work your magic on your lad with these handy recipes. You'll be sure to impress and the bragging rights are impressive...

Soup

Creamy Oyster Bisque

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

20 fresh oysters or 1 jar freshly shucked oysters (about 20 oysters), drained, keeping liquid

1 cup fish stock (including water drained from bottled oysters, if using)

1/2 cup Guinness

1 small white onion or 1/2 leek, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

2 cups (about 400g) diced peeled potato

1 teaspoon thyme

1/2 cup low fat milk

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Watercress or parsley for garnish

Method

Drain the oysters, retaining the liquid and add enough fish stock to total 1 cup. Heat 2 tablespoons of the stock in a large saucepan and add the onion and celery. Cook over low heat until onion is transparent. Add the Guinness, remaining stock, potato and thyme and cook until potatoes are soft and most of liquid is absorbed. Transfer to a blender with half of the oysters, milk and pepper, or use an immersion blender in the saucepan to puree until smooth. Bring back to boil and serve immediately with a few oysters placed on top of each dish. Garnish with fresh watercress or parsley.

Vegetables

Guinness Potato Salad

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

6 medium potatoes

4 slices bacon

1 tablespoon onions, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 teaspoon Morton light salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons unbleached flour

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon sugar

8 fluid ounces Guinness

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco hot pepper sauce

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Method

Boil potatoes in medium-size saucepan until just tender.

Peel and slice.

Fry bacon until crisp.

Break into small pieces and mix with onion, celery, and salt; set aside.

Stir melted butter and flour in a small saucepan until blended.

Add mustard and sugar.

Slowly stir in beer and hot pepper sauce.

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Pour over potatoes.

Sprinkle with parsley.

Toss lightly and let stand 1 hour.

Add bacon mixture; toss gently and serve.

Meats

Guinness Beef Stew

Ingredients

2 lbs sirloin steak

2 tblsp. dripping

2 onions (large)

2 cloves of garlic

¼ cup plain flour

1 cup beef stock

1 cup Guinness

3 carrots

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. fresh thyme

6 prunes

2 tbsp. chopped parsley

Method

Chop onions, crush garlic and slice carrots. Cut meat into small chunks. Cut prunes in half and remove the stone. Fry onions in dripping. When golden brown add crushed garlic. Cook for 1 minute.

Remove onion and garlic from the frying pan and put aside. Add meat to remainder of dripping in pan and fry until meat is brown on all sides. Reduce heat and add flour. Coat the meat with the flour and add stock slowly to form a thick sauce. Add Guinness and simmer. Add onions and garlic and carrots, herbs and season with salt and pepper. Stir all ingredients simmer for 1-2 hours.

Don't cover. This gives it a thick sauce. Stir occasionally so that the meat doesn't stick to the bottom of the saucepan. Add the prunes a half an hour before the end. Garnish with parsley before serving. This dish can be prepared the day before and reheated gently before serving.

Fish in Guinness

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 (6 oz. each) white fish fillets such as grouper

unsalted butter

1/4 cup chopped scallions

3 tbs minced fresh parsley

3 tbs minced scallions

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. white pepper

3/4 cup Guinness

Method

Pat dry fish fillets and rub each fillet with butter. Butter a glass or ceramic baking dish well. The dish should be just large enough to hold the fish in one layer.

Sprinkle dish with 1/4 cup chopped scallions. Arrange fish in the dish and sprinkle it with minced fresh parsley and minced scallions, and salt and pepper to taste. Dot with butter.

Pour in enough Guinness to reach halfway up the sides of the fish.

Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until fish flakes when tested. Transfer the fish with a slotted spatula to a heated serving platter. Spoon the cooking liquid over it and serve the dish with fresh soda bread (or French).

Desserts

Chocolate Guinness Cake

Ingredients

1/4 cup cocoa powder (to dust the baking pans)

2 sticks butter

1 cup Guinness

2/3 cup Dutch process dark cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups unbleached flour

2 cups sugar

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, sifted

2 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

chocolate frosting

Method

Heat oven to 350° F. Lightly dust two greased 8 inch springform pans with cocoa powder.

In a heavy saucepan or microwave oven, heat butter, beer, and cocoa powder until butter melts. Let cool.

Sift dry ingredients together. Add the beer-cocoa mixture, and beat thoroughly for 1 minute on medium speed. Add the eggs and sour cream and beat 2 minutes on medium speed.

Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Place pans on a wire rack, cool for 10 minutes, remove the sides, and cool completely. Use a long serrated knife to even the tops of the cakes. Using a flexible spatula, spread each layer with a thin coating of chocolate frosting, stack, and cover the sides with frosting.