A slow-cooked classic featuring bacon, carrots, beef, and even cheese – all one could ever wish for in a stew
Yield
Serves 8
Prep Time
20mins
Cook Time
100mins
Difficulty Level
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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
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.

04.
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.

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