Beef Dumpling Stew

Ingredients

• 2 tbs Olive Oil
• 25g Butter
• 750g Beef
• 2 tblsp Plain Flour
• 2 cloves minced Garlic
• 175g Onions
• 150g Celery
• 150g Carrots
• 2 chopped Leek
• 200g Swede
• 150ml Red Wine
• 500g Beef Stock
• 2 Bay Leaf
• 3 tbs Thyme
• 3 tblsp chopped Parsley
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 60g Suet
• Splash Water

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F / Gas 4). Heat the olive oil and butter together in a large ovenproof casserole over medium heat. Add the beef and cook, turning regularly, until well browned on all sides.
2. Sprinkle the flour over the beef and cook for a further 2–3 minutes, stirring so the flour cooks out and coats the meat evenly. Add the garlic, onions, celery, carrots, leeks, and swede, and cook for 1–2 minutes until lightly softened.
3. Pour in the red wine, then add the beef stock, bay leaves, thyme, and some of the chopped parsley. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and balsamic vinegar to taste. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid, and transfer to the oven. Cook for about 2 hours, until the beef is tender.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the dumplings. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the suet and enough water to bring the mixture together into a thick dough. With lightly floured hands, roll spoonfuls of the dough into small balls.
5. After 2 hours, carefully remove the casserole from the oven. Take off the lid and place the dumplings on top of the stew without submerging them. Cover again and return to the oven for 20 minutes, until the dumplings have puffed up and are tender. For golden dumplings, leave the lid off during this stage.
6. To serve, spoon mashed potatoes onto serving plates, top with the beef stew and dumplings, and finish with the remaining chopped parsley.

instructions_source: editorial-classic