Beef Dumpling Stew

Ingredients

• Olive Oil2 tbs
• Butter25g
• Beef750g
• Plain Flour2 tblsp
• Garlic2 cloves minced
• Onions175g
• Celery150g
• Carrots150g
• Leek2 chopped
• Swede200g
• Red Wine150ml
• Beef Stock500g
• Bay Leaf2
• Thyme3 tbs
• Parsley3 tblsp chopped
• Plain Flour125g
• Baking Powder1 tsp
• Suet60g
• WaterSplash

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

2. 2

   For the beef stew, heat the oil and butter in an ovenproof casserole and fry the beef until browned on all sides.

3. 3

   Sprinkle over the flour and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

4. 4

   Add the garlic and all the vegetables and fry for 1-2 minutes.

5. 5

   Stir in the wine, stock and herbs, then add the Worcestershire sauce and balsamic vinegar, to taste. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

6. 6

   Cover with a lid, transfer to the oven and cook for about two hours, or until the meat is tender.

7. 7

   For the dumplings, sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Add the suet and enough water to form a thick dough.

8. 8

   With floured hands, roll spoonfuls of the dough into small balls.

9. 9

   After two hours, remove the lid from the stew and place the balls on top of the stew. Cover, return to the oven and cook for a further 20 minutes, or until the dumplings have swollen and are tender. (If you prefer your dumplings with a golden top, leave the lid off when returning to the oven.)

10. 10

    To serve, place a spoonful of mashed potato onto each of four serving plates and top with the stew and dumplings. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.