Beef stew with dumplings
Serves 4
This week chef Niemand shares some favourite British recipes. Make this very English casserole with dumplings and top it off with a walnut and lemon tart. Walnut and lemon is an old English combination for which the sweetened short-crust pastry is perfect. It is best eaten warm rather than hot and it is equally good the next day.
| Ingredients | |
| 675g | chuck beef steak pieces |
| 1 | large onion, chopped |
| 225g | carrots, peeled and cubed |
| 225g | potato, peeled and cubed |
| 15ml | oil for frying |
| 15ml | plain flour |
| 2 | bay leaves |
| 5ml | thyme (fresh or freeze dried) |
| 5ml | marjoram (fresh or freeze dried) |
| Fresh parsley | |
| Salt and pepper | |
| Ingredients for dumplings | |
| 50g | butter |
| 50g | self-raising flour |
| 50g | fresh white breadcrumbs |
| 1 | egg, lightly beaten |
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 160°C.
- Heat the oil and brown the beef cubes in a large casserole. Sprinkle with the flour and continue to turn and brown, but do not burn.
- Add the vegetables and herbs (except the parsley) and season generously. Add enough water to just cover all the ingredients.
- Cover and cook in the oven for about 2 hours or until the meat is thoroughly cooked.
- Add the dumplings
To make the dumplings:
Mix together all the ingredients to make a cohesive paste.
Season generously and add to the top of the stew in tablespoon-sized dollops.
Cover again and return to the oven.
The dumplings take about 25 minutes to cook through.
Serve with a rough garden salad.
