Trex Dumplings Food

SLOW COOKER BEEF STEW AND HERB DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• MAKE YOUR STEWLightly grease the inside of your slow cooker with oil or cooking spray and turn your slow cooker on high.
• Add salt and pepper to your flour and coat the beef chunks before setting the coated meat to one side.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat and brown the onions and carrots before transferring them to your slow cooker.
• Add the floured beef chunks to your frying pan and brown well before adding to the slow cooker.
• Add any remaining flour to your pan and cook out in the oil before deglazing the pan with the beef stock - stir well to avoid any lumps.
• Pour the pan contents into your slow cooker and add the potatoes, herbs, tomato puree and Worcester sauce. Stir well and then put on the slow cooker lid.
• Cook on high for 5 hours or low for 8 hours before making your dumplings.
• MAKE YOUR DUMPLINGSSieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl and stir in the suet or vegetable fat and chopped parsley.
• Add 4 tablespoons of water and stir again to form a dough, adding extra water if necessary.
• Divide the dough into 8 pieces and turn out onto a floured work surface.Shape into small balls, add to your slow cooker and cook on high for 45 minutes with the lid on.

DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Whilst your stew is bubbling, make the dumplings. Weigh the flour into a bowl and add ½ tsp salt. Stir through the suet and parsley, if using. Make a well in the centre and add 3 tbsp cold water, mix to a dough, adding more water until the dough is firm but pliable. Divide into eight equal pieces and roll in a little more flour into balls. Chill until needed.
• When the stew has about 30 mins to go, arrange the dumplings on top and cover with a lid. With the oven at 160C/140C fan/gas 3, cook the stew and dumplings for 20 mins, then remove the lid and cook for another 10 mins until they're brown and puffed up.