Classic Beef Stew With Dumplings

This meaty stew makes great comfort food for cold evenings. But when you want to take it up a notch, add in these cheesy dumplings packed with the herbaceous warmth of parsley.

Yield: Serves 8
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 100 mins
Difficulty Level: 2/5

Ingredients

• 2 tbsps oil
• 1 kg chuck steak, trimmed, cubed
• ¼ cup seasoned flour
• 6 rashers rindless bacon, chopped
• 6 pickling onions, halved
• 2 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 large swede, chopped
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves

DUMPLINGS

• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 50 g butter, diced
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• ¼ cup milk
• 2 tbsps finely chopped parsley
• 2 tbsps horseradish cream
• 2 tbsps finely grated parmesan

Steps

01. Preheat oven to moderate, 180 C. Heat half the oil in a flameproof casserole dish on high.

02. Dust beef in flour, shaking off excess. Brown beef, in 2 batches, 2-3 mins each batch. Transfer to a plate.

03. Heat remaining oil in same pan on medium. Saute bacon, onion and garlic 4-5 mins, until bacon is golden.

Return beef to pan with stock, wine, carrots, celery, swede and herbs. Bring to the boil on high. Bake, covered, 1 hr.

05. Meanwhile, to make dumplings, sift flour into a bowl; season. Rub in butter using fingertips until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in centre. Stir in combined egg, milk, parsley and horseradish cream. Drop tablespoons of mixture, about 2 cm apart, on top of stew. Sprinkle with parmesan.

06. Bake, uncovered, 20-25 mins, until dumplings are golden and cooked through.

Photo: bauersyndication.com.au