beef stew with herb dumplings
- Preparation and cooking time
- Cook:
- Easy
- Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 450 g (1lb) stewing steak, cut into 5cm (2in) pieces
- 2 medium onions, finely sliced
- 2 carrots, sliced350 g (12oz) swede, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 450 ml hot beef stock
- 2 tsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf 1 thyme sprig
for dumplings
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 450 g (1lb) stewing steak, cut into 5cm (2in) pieces
- 2 medium onions, finely sliced
- 2 carrots, sliced350 g (12oz) swede, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 450 ml hot beef stock
- 2 tsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf 1 thyme sprig
- 200 g (7oz) plain flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp dry English mustard
- 50 g (2oz)suet
- 2 tbsp mixed freshly chopped herbs
Method
- STEP 1Preheat the oven to 150ºC (130ºC fan) mark 2. Heat 1tbsp oil in a flameproof casserole dish and brown the beef in batches. Set aside. Add remaining oil to the pan and gently fry the onions and carrots for 10min until softened. Add swede and cook for 2min. Return beef to pan, sprinkle in flour and cook for 1min. Gradually stir in the Guinness and stock. Add sugar, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf and thyme; bring to the boil. Cover and cook in the oven for 3hr.
- STEP 2To make the dumplings, sift the flour, baking powder, mustard and ½tsp salt into a bowl. Stir in the suet and mixed herbs. Using a flat-bladed knife, stir in around 150ml (¼ pint) cold water to make a soft but not too sticky dough. Divide dough into 12 and roll into balls. Drop on to stew, spaced evenly apart. Cover and cook for 20min until puffed up. Remove lid and return to the oven for 5min to finish cooking dumplings.
