Warming Beef Casserole and Dumplings
This serves four people.
Ingredients:
800g diced beef, I like lean braising steak
2 tbsp seasoned flour, salt, pepper and a little paprika 2 tbsp veg. oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 medium sized carrots, cut into chunks
1 x400g can chopped tomatoes
500ml beef stock or 300ml stock and 200ml red wine 1/2 tsp dried thyme or 1 of fresh
200g mushrooms, halved if large
A bay leaf if you like
Salt and pepper to taste
For the dumplings:
180g self raising flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 level tsp mustard powder 90g vegetable suet
Cold water to mix
Heat the oven to 150c/ gas mark 2
1. Toss the beef in the seasoned flour and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the onions and carrots for 4-5 minutes over a
medium heat. Transfer to a lidded casserole.
3. Heat a little more oil in the pan if necessary and fry the meat until it changes colour and stir into the vegetables.
4. Pour over the tomatoes and stock, wine also if you are using it and add the herbs.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Cover and cook for an hour and half. Then add the mushrooms.
7. Cook for a further hour.
8. Make the dumplings by sifting the flour, salt, pepper and mustard into a mixing bowl.
9. Stir in the suet and add sufficient cold water to make a soft dough that you can roll in your
hands.
10. Form into 12 equal sized balls and place on top of the meat mixture pressing down slightly.
Raise the heat of the oven to 170C/gas mark 3. Cover the casserole and cook for 20 minutes more or until the dumplings are light and fluffy.