Beef Casserole With Stilton Parsley Dumplings Food

SLOW COOKER BEEF STEW AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Toss the beef cubes with the seasoned flour to lightly coat.
• Preheat the slow cooker on "HIGH". Add the hot beef stock, red wine, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar (or Worcestershire sauce), garlic, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Give everything a good stir.
• Add the onions, leeks, parsnips and carrots. Stir to combine.
• Stir in the beef, add the bay leaves and rosemary and cook on HIGH for 5 hours (or on LOW for 8 hours).
• Meanwhile prepare the dumplings: combine flour, herbs, Parmesan, salt and garlic granules in a bowl.
• Stir in the yoghurt and then use your hands to briefly knead in the bowl until the dough comes together. Add a little water if it's too dry and crumbly.
• Divide the dough into 6-8 portions and roll into balls.
• Mix the flour, suet, salt, garlic granules, herbs and parmesan together in a bowl.
• Slowly drizzle in cold water, a little at a time, mixing with your hands until the dough comes together and leaves the side of the bowl easily. Don't overmix the dough, handle with a light touch for light and fluffy dumplings.
• Divide the dough into 6-8 portions and roll into balls.
• Give the stew a good stir. Remove and discard the bay leaves and rosemary.
• Add the dumplings to the slow cooker, spaced slightly apart. Cover and cook for an additional hour with the lid on.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Garnish with the parsley and serve.

BOILED BEEF & CARROTS WITH PARSLEY DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Cut the beef into three or four chunky pieces, put in a large pan and just cover with cold water. Bring it quickly to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and, using a ladle, skim off any scum on the top. As you are doing this, you will also be removing some of the water. Pour in the stock, return it to the boil, then turn to a simmer.
• Meanwhile, roughly chop the vegetables and add them to the pan with the sprigs of thyme and bay leaves. Season lightly.
• Take a large square of muslin (or use a clean J-cloth), lay the spices in the middle and then tie up with kitchen string, like a money bag. Drop the bag into the pan and tie the bag to the handle. Simmer the beef (don't let it boil) for about 2 hrs, until the meat feels tender when pierced with a sharp knife. If the stock reduces down too much, top it up with more water so the meat remains submerged.
• While the beef is cooking, peel celeriac and cut into small sticks about 1cm thick. Halve turnips. Trim tops off the other vegetables, but don't peel - there's no need. Bring a pan of lightly salted water to the boil and blanch vegetables for about 3 mins. Have ready a large bowl of ice-cold water and when the vegetables are just tender, drain them and tip immediately into the water. Leave for 2-3 mins, drain again and set aside. Also, while the beef is cooking, mix together the flour, suet, salt, a grinding of pepper and the parsley for the dumplings.
• When the beef is cooked, remove the pan from the heat, then strain off and reserve the stock for cooking the dumplings and reheating the baby vegetables (you won't use it all). Discard the vegetables and tip the beef into a baking dish. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
• Mix just enough cold water (about 200ml) into the flour and suet mix to make a soft dough. If the dough is too wet, it will be difficult to shape. Roll gently into 10-12 balls. Bring a shallow pan of water to the boil and add a couple of ladles of the stock plus the olive oil, the star anise, peppercorns and thyme sprigs. Using a slotted spoon, lower in the dumplings. Cover and simmer for about 12-15 mins, until risen and fluffy. Remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon.
• Spoon about three ladles of stock into another pan, bring to a simmer and reheat the veg briefly. Remove with a slotted spoon. Strain the stock from the veg for serving.
• Cut each beef chunk into slices and season lightly. Arrange in warmed serving dishes with the baby vegetables, celeriac and dumplings. Pour some stock over and serve.

BEEF CASSEROLE WITH HERB DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Cut beef into 2 1/2cm cubes. Toss in flour to coat all over, shaking off any excess.
• Heat half the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish (20 cup capacity). Cook beef, in batches, until browned all over. Remove from dish.
• Heat remaining oil to same dish. Add onion, carrots and garlic. Cook, stirring, until onion is soft. Add wine. Simmer 1 minute or until sauce thickens. Whisk in stock until smooth. Return beef to pan with swedes, potatoes and thyme. Bring to boil.
• Cook, covered, in a moderately slow oven (160C) for about 2 hours, or until beef is tender, stirring occasionally during cooking.
• Meanwhile, to make dumplings, place flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Rub in butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in parsley. Using a butter knife, stir in milk until mixture forms a firm dough. Turn dough onto a floured surface. Roll dough until 1 1/2cm in thickness. Using a 5cm cutter, cut 12 rounds from dough, rerolling dough if necessary.
• Remove casserole from oven. Carefully discard thyme sprigs. Arrange dumplings over top of casserole and brush with a little extra buttermilk.
• Cook, uncovered, in a very hot oven (240C) for about 20 minutes, or until dumplings are golden brown and cooked through.
• Serve garnished with extra fresh thyme.

LIGHTER BEEF STEW & DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan or deep sauté pan. Tip in the onions, bay leaves and thyme sprigs, and fry over a medium heat for about 8 mins, stirring often, until the onions are turning golden. Raise the heat, add the steak and stir-fry briefly until it starts to lose its raw, red colour. Pour in the wine, stir to deglaze the brown sticky bits from the bottom of the pan, and let it bubble briefly. Lower the heat, sprinkle in the flour and mustard powder, and stir for 1 min. The meat should now be coated in a thick, rich sauce.
• Mix in the tomatoes, stirring to break them down. Stir in the stock and bring to the boil. Tip in the carrots, squash and mushrooms, lower the heat, cover with a lid and leave to simmer gently for 1 hr 40 mins, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook for a further 20 mins, still on a gentle simmer, until the meat is very tender. Season with pepper.
• When the stew is nearly cooked, heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Put a 2.25-litre casserole dish in to heat it up. Meanwhile, make the dumplings. Put the flour, mustard powder, some pepper and a pinch of salt in a bowl, then stir in the spring onions and parsley. Mix the oil and buttermilk together and gently stir into the flour. Add a drop or two of cold water, if needed, to pick up any dry bits on the bottom of the bowl, and stir to make a soft and slightly sticky dough. Be as light-handed as you can, as overmixing or overhandling will toughen the dumplings. Cut the dough into 8 pieces and very lightly shape each into a small, rough ball.
• Carefully transfer the stew to the hot casserole dish and remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Sit the dumplings on top and press them down into the gravy to very slightly submerge. Put the dish on a baking sheet and cook for about 20 mins until the dumplings have risen and are golden on top. Serve with a light scattering of thyme leaves.

BEEF CASSEROLE AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180deg C.
• Cut steak into 2 1/2 cm cubes.
• Peel and slice onion, carrots and parsnip.
• Mix flour, salt and pepper and toss beef in this.
• Heat oil in frying pan, add beef and brown lightly.
• Add onion and any remaining flour, stir 2 minutes.
• Add carrots, parsnip, stock and vinegar.
• Stir until boiling, then transfer to a casserole dish.
• Cover and bake for 1-1 1/2 hours.
• Increase oven heat to 200degC to ensure casserole is boiling.
• Sift flour, baking powder and salt.
• Rub in butter, add parsley and mix in enough milk to make a soft dough.
• Divide into 8 pieces and form into balls.
• Drop into the bubbling casserole, cover and reduce heat to 180degC again.
• Cook for 20-25 minutes without lifting the lid.

BEEF CASSEROLE WITH STILTON PARSLEY DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• Toss the beef in the flour then shake it to get rid of the excess flour.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a casserole dish. Fry the beef in batches, browning on each side, then removing with a slotted spoon.
• Pour the red wine into the casserole dish and heat through, scaping the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze it.
• Add the browned beef to the wine. Add the stock and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and fry the onion until tender. Add the fried onion to the beef mixture.
• Cover the casserole and bake in the oven for 1 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the dumplings. In a mixing bowl mix together the flour, suet, Stilton and parsley. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Make a well in the centre. Add a little water and, using a spoon, mix in the dry ingredients, adding more water as need to form a soft dough. Using wetted hands shape the dough into small dumplings.
• Once the casserole has baked for 1 and a half hours add the potatoes, carrots and port wine. Top with the dumplings. Return to the oven and bake for a further 30 minutes until the dumplings have risen and the beef is tender.