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.
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
Preheat oven to moderate, 180 C. Heat half the oil in a flameproof casserole dish on high.
Dust beef in flour, shaking off excess. Brown beef, in 2 batches, 2-3 mins each batch. Transfer to a plate.
Heat remaining oil in same pan on medium. Saute bacon, onion and garlic 4-5 mins, until bacon is golden.
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.
Bake, uncovered, 20-25 mins, until dumplings are golden and cooked through.
Photo: bauersyndication.com.au