Beef Stew and Dumplings

Plain flour 15 g 25 g
Stewing steak 100 g 1.2 k
Olive oil 10 ml 30 mls
Onions, sliced 1 4
Carrots, sliced 110 g 450 g
Guinness or dark beer 100 ml 300 ml
Bay leaves 1 3
Brown sugar 5g 10 g
Thyme sprigs 1 2
Cider vinegar 5 ml 5 ml
Salt and black pepper To taste To taste
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 160°C
2. Season the flour and sprinkle over the meat, tossing to coat evenly.
3. Heat the oil in a large casserole pan and lightly sauté the onions and carrots.
4. Remove the vegetables and put to one side.
5. Brown the meat off in the casserole pan.
6. Return the vegetables to the pan.
7. Add the Guinness, bay leaves, sugar and thyme. Bring to the boil and then transfer
to the oven. Leave to cook for 1 – 1½ hours.
8. Stir in the vinegar and correct the seasoning. If you need to add some stock so that
there is enough fluid to cook the dumplings in.
9. Add the dumplings and cook for a further 20 minutes.
To serve, cook some cabbage and toss in butter. Serve with the stew straight from the
oven. You can sprinkle a little parsley over the top.

Dumplings

Suet 30 g 115 g
Self-raising flour 60 g 225 g
Chopped mixed fresh herbs 1 tsp 2 tbsp
Cold water 35 ml 150 ml
Mix the suet with the flour and herbs
Add enough water to make a soft slightly sticky dough.
Form the dough into small balls with floured hands.
When the stew is just about ready to serve, drop the balls into the top and bake in the oven
for a further 20 minutes.