Beef stew and dumplings

Beef stew & dumplings

This is such a tasty winter warmer favourite in my home. It only consists of beef, onion, leeks potatoes and carrots (apart from the dumplings) but it is incredibly tasty, and tastes even more delicious the next day!

This makes a large pan that would feed 6

Ingredients:

• 750g Stewing steak or even a cheap cut of beef
• 4 or 5 large carrots
• 2 large onions
• 2-3 thickly sliced leeks
• 3 beef stock cubes
• Pan of boiled potatoes
• 100g S.R flour
• 50g shredded suet
• Salt & pepper
• boiling water

Method:

Cut your meat into cubes and put into a bag with some flour and give it a shake. Fry the meat with some hot oil in your stew pan to seal the meat.

Peel wash & chop the carrots and slice the onions and leeks then add to the meat.

DO NOT put your potatoes in the stew, boil them separately so that you can take off the starch & potato froth.

Cover with boiling water and season, then bring to the boil. Remove the froth with a spoon, the oil you used to fry the meat will also rise to the top, remove this too.

Put the lid on and simmer for an hour then add 3 beef stock cubes and stir then replace the lid.

Now start the dumplings by putting the flour into a bowl and add the suet. Add cold water so it’s like a dough (see photo). With floured hands roll into 8 balls. Put into the stew and put the lid on quickly. DO NOT be tempted to lift the lid for 20 minutes or they will shrink to the size of hard golf balls. left alone they will double in size.

Now is the time to add your ready boiled potatoes, then simmer for another 45 – 60 mins.