Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 2 medium onions (sliced)
  • 600 g stewing beef (cubed)
  • 250 ml ale ((I used Sussex Gold))
  • 250 ml beef stock ((I used a Kallo Organic cube and boiling water))
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 100 g mushrooms (chopped into bite-sized pieces)
  • 2 medium carrots (peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces)
  • ½ a small swede (rutabaga) (peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces)
  • 150 g Self-raising Flour
  • 75 g Suet ((I use Atora))
  • Small pinch of salt
  • Cold water

Instruction

  • Preheat your oven to 160C / 140C fan / gas mark 3 / 325F.
  • Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large ovenproof saucepan or cast iron casserole dish. Add the onions and cook on a gentle heat, with the lid on, for about 3 minutes, until the onions are softened but not brown.
  • Turn up the heat, add the beef and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the beef is lightly browned.
  • Next add the ale and beef stock, thyme and bay leaves, plus salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil, cover with a lid, then put the stew into your preheated oven for 2 hours 20 minutes.
  • After the stew has been in the oven for just over 2 hours heat a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan and add the mushrooms, swede and carrots. Fry on a medium-high heat until lightly browned then add to the stew. Put the stew back in the oven for a further 20 minutes.
  • Next make the dumplings: place the flour, suet and salt in a bowl and mix together. Add cold water a drop at a time until the mixture comes together into a dough. Divide the dough into 12 and roll each piece into a ball.
  • After the stew has been in the oven for a total of 2 hours 40 minutes, remove the stew from the oven and place the dumplings on top of the stew – try to spread them out evenly. Replace the lid and then cook the stew for a final 20 minutes (3 hours in total).
  • Serve just as it is or with green veg and either ale or red wine. Enjoy!