Beef Stew & Dumplings

• μερίδες: Serves 4-6

Υλικά

Stews have been made across the world since ancient times. A simple slow cooked dish using economical cuts of meat and bulked out with veggies. I have used a short rib ‘plate’ - basically the short ribs still attached to each other. It’s perfect for slow cooking and I love that it can be cut into chunky slices that just pull apart. With a crowning glory of fluffy dumplings, it’s a family favourite and a bowlful of this is sure to cheer even the most dreich of days!

3 rib short rib ‘plate’

265g sliced onion (2 medium)

135g sliced celery (2 stalks)

380g Turnip/swede chopped

280g carrots chopped

5 garlic cloves

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp porcini powder

Good splash Worcestershire sauce

1 litre beef stock

150ml red wine

1 tsp white pepper

Salt

Season your beef then sear on both sides in beef dripping. Remove.

Sauté your onions and celery with a little salt then add garlic, turnip & carrots. Sprinkle in porcini powder, then add your bay leaf, stock and red wine, finishing with white pepper. Pop beef back into liquid, nestling it well in. Bring to the boil, then cover with a cartouche (baking paper with a hole in the middle) - this will stop the meat from drying out. Cook at 170c in fan oven for 3 hours, turning the meat half way through.

Skim off the fat, remove the bones and bay leaf, and cut the meat into slices. Nestle the slices snuggly into the gravy, replace the cartouche and place back in oven while you make the dumplings.

200g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

Half tsp salt

1 tsp mustard powder

Black pepper

75g beef tallow or suet

Heaped tbsp each chives & parsley

110ml water

Rub the fat into the dry ingredients, add the herbs, then the water. Bring your dough together with your hands and divide into 8. Roll into balls.

Remove cartouche and place your dumplings on top of the stew. Place back in the oven with the lid off for 25 minutes at 170c fan.

Serve with buttered new potatoes and a sprinkle of parsley.