Winter Warmer Classic Beef Stew and Dumplings.
I hate the cold, and in the winter need food that warms me up from the inside. One of the most traditional British winter warmers is a classic Beef Stew and dumplings, however dumplings are normally made with suet, over the years I have tried to reproduce light fluffy yet kosher dumplings, last year I got it right!
So, while the temperatures plumet, here is a heart winter meal, which is easy to prepare and great to come home to.
(You can make this in a slow cooker, but the dumplings need to be added 2 hours before the end of cooking and they are not so light!)
Stay warm!
Ingredients Serves 6
- 1 onion roughly chopped.
- 1 .2kg braising steak, cut into roughly 4cm chunks
- 3 tablespoons Gluten free or normal Plain flour, to dust
- 1medium parsnip, peeled & cut into chunks.
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks.
- 1 large leek, washed chut into chunks
- 3 stalks of celery washed and chunked.
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cloves garlic peeled.
- ¼ inch fresh ginger peeled
- Sprig of thyme
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1 litre beef stock
- ½ glass red wine, or beer (stout)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons flour, seasoned with celery salt pepper and paprika.
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
FOR THE DUMPLINGS
125 g (4oz) flour (I use gluten free)
60 g Hard Tomor grated 1 tbsp. dried mixed herbs.
1 tsp baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Enough water to make a dough.
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Place the seasoned flour in a plastic freezer bag, add the meat, shake till its all coated,
Using a Dutch oven, or a heavy bottom oven proof pot that has a lid ,heat the oil, then fry the onions leeks and garlic till transparent, remove set a aside and brown the meat in the same pot, when the meat is brown add the onions, the remaining vegetables, stock, seasonings, and wine, Cover with a lid, transfer to the oven and cook for about two hours, or until the meat is tender.
Make the dumplings.
Make sure the grated tomar is cold - sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Add the Tomor and enough water to form a thick dough.
With floured hands, the dough into small balls. place in the fridge
When the meat is nearly tender (around 2 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 puffed up and are tender.
(If you prefer your dumplings with a golden top, leave the lid off when returning to the oven.)
Serve with mashed potatoes or mashed swede, and a glass of red wine!