Beef casserole with dumplings
Bring out your biggest casserole dish for this hearty one-pot wonder, with tender beef and fluffy dough cakes - all simmered in beer
Serves: 4-6
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 160 minutes including baking
Ingredients:
Casserole:
30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
30ml (2 tbsp) butter
400g shallots - peeled and cut in two if large, or use 1-2 large onions, chopped
2 sticks of celery, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1.2kg stewing steak, cut into 2.5cm cubes
30g (60ml) flour, plus extra
3 cloves garlic, crushed
45ml (3 tbsp) tomato purée
45ml (3 tbsp) Worcestershire sauce
15ml (1 tbsp) coarse grain mustard
5ml (1 tsp) coarsely ground black pepper
2 fresh bay leaves
15ml (1 tbsp) dried thyme
600ml hot beef stock
500ml (2 cups) beer or stout
Salt to taste
Dumplings:
140g flour plus extra for rolling
70g vegetable suet or butter
7.5ml (1½ tsp) baking powder
2.5ml (½ tsp) salt and pepper
6 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked off stem
30-45ml (2-3 tbsp) water
To finish:
45ml (3 tbsp) chopped parsley
Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 170°C.
2) Heat 15ml oil with the butter in the casserole over a low to medium heat.
3) Add the shallots, celery and carrots and sauté gently for 8-10 minutes until softened and lightly coloured.
4) Remove the vegetables from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside.
5) Heat the remaining oil in the casserole and cook the meat in batches until lightly browned, removing each batch from the pan before adding the next.
6) Return the meat and vegetables to the casserole, sprinkle over the flour and stir in the garlic, tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and pepper.
7) Add the bay leaves, thyme and stock and stir in the beer. Bring to a simmer, place the lid on and transfer to the oven to cook for 1½-1¾ hours.
8) Remove from the oven, stir and season with a little salt. For the dumplings, increase the oven heat to 190°C.
9) Combine the dry ingredients for the dumplings with the herbs and add enough cold water to bring the mixture together to form a soft dough.
10) Portion into 8 pieces, lightly dust your hands with the extra flour and roll each into a ball. Place on top of the casserole and replace the lid.
11) Return to the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes until the dumplings are light and fluffy.
12) Before serving sprinkle with chopped parsley.