It’s cold and damp, one of those gloomy winter days, so what could be better than a hearty winter beef stew topped with lovely herby dumplings to tuck into with some lovely crusty bread?
Stews are a great way to feed a family using cheaper cuts of meat like beef skirt, which tenderise because of the long slow cooking.
Add to that a blend of winter vegetables like swede, carrots, potatoes and parsnips with some fragrant herbs and you have comfort food which will warm the heart and soul.
I like French-style casseroles so for me some red wine and garlic with a good quality stock are a necessity. It doesn’t have to be an expensive red wine, just drinkable like a merlot or pinot noir. You only need half a bottle for the recipe so the chef can indulge in a glass or two :-).
Herby Dumplings
There is nothing better than sitting down to a meal after a brisk walk in the woods with the family and watching the grandchildren tuck into a bowl of Grandad’s casserole topped with filling herby dumplings.
They are really easy to make and now that vegetable suet is widely available are suitable for topping a chunky vegetable casserole as well.
For those who don’t know English dumplings are balls of suet dough which are then poached on top of a stew or casserole.
Crusty bread, the perfect side dish
Any recipe that is served in a bowl is just crying out for some crusty fresh bread to mop up all those lovely juices. From a simple bowl of soup to stews and casseroles get out the cutting board and slice the perfect accompaniment.
We have the Romans to thank for the tradition of wiping the bowl clean with bread which has survived as fare la scarpetta in Italian cuisine.
It’s definitely one of the best bits of a meal, that and licking the bowl clean.
Hearty Winter Beef Stew with Dumplings
Ingredients
For the stew:
- 1 onion roughly chopped
- 2 parsnips quartered
- 4 carrots halved
- ½ a butternut squash deseeded and diced
- a few sprigs of fresh sage
- a few sprigs of fresh rosemary
- olive oil
- 1 knob unsalted butter
- 800 g stewing steak or beef skirt cut into 5cm pieces
- plain flour
- 500 g small potatoes
- 2 tbsp Tomato puree
- ½ bottle red wine
- 300 ml beef stock
- 1 clove Garlic
For the dumplings:
- 100 g self-raising flour
- 50 g shredded suet Atora
- 1 pinch salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp rosemary leaves finely chopped
- 1 tsp thyme leaves finely chopped
To Serve:
- parsley chopped
- crusty bread
Conversions
Instructions
To Make the Casserole:
- Preheat the oven to 160ºC/300ºF/gas 2.
- Peel and roughly chop the onion, peel and quarter the parsnips and peel and halve the carrots. Deseed and roughly dice the squash. Pick the sage leaves.
- Heat a little oil and the butter in a casserole pan on a medium heat, add the onion and sage leaves, then fry for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toss the meat in a little seasoned flour, then add it to the pan with all the vegetables, the tomato purée, wine and stock, then gently stir together. Season generously with black pepper and just a little sea salt.
- Bring to the boil, place a lid on top, then place in the oven until the meat is tender
To Make the Dumplings:
- Put the flour in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper.
- Add the suet and rub together with your fingers to make rough crumbs. Stir in the rosemary, thyme and parsley, then pour in 2 tablespoons of cold water and mix using a round bladed knife to a soft dough. Cut the dough into 8 even-sized pieces and shape into balls.
- Gently place the dumplings on the surface of the casserole and cook in the oven, uncovered, for 20 more mins until they are risen and the lamb is meltingly tender.
To Serve:
- Scatter with chopped parsley and serve with crusty bread.
You may also like one of my other favourite recipes …
