Beef Stew - Even the kids will love this one!

My obsession with dumplings continues with this recipe.

They just make winter stews for me.

However, they are only optional, crusty bread is just as good!

Everybody loves this meal at our house, including my two girls, who are 3 and 18 months.

INGREDIENTS

1kg Beef (stewing beef ie chuck)

2 Tbsps Olive Oil

1 Tbsp Butter

10 Sage Leaves, torn
1 Brown Onion, diced
1/4 cup Plain Flour

2 Large Potatoes, peeled and cut in 2 cm chunks
2 Large Carrots, peeled and cut in 2cm chunks
3  Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Swede, peeled and cut in 2cm chunks

1 Large Parsnip, peeled and cut in 2cm chunks

2 Squash, trimmed and cut in 2cm chunks

2 Jerusalem Artichokes, peeled and diced (Thanks to Jamie Oliver for this ingredient!)

400ml Beef Stock
500ml Red Wine
3 Tbsps Tomato Paste
1 Tbsp Rosemary, finely chopped
1 Bay Leaf
Finely Grated Rind of 1 Lemon

Freshly Ground Pepper

Sea Salt

This stew can either be served with dumplings, or Crusty Bread.
For Dumplings
1 Cup Self Raising Flour, plus a little extra
2 Cups Suet Mix (available in the baking aisle at supermarket)
1 Tsp Table Salt
2/3 Cup Cold Water

METHOD

Preheat the oven for 160C

Remove all visible fat from beef; cut beef into 2.5 cm cubes.

Put the oil and butter into an appropriately sized casserole dish. Add the onion and sage leaves and fry for 3 or 4 minutes.

Toss the meat in a little seasoned flour, then add it to the pan with all the ingredients, and gently stir together. Bring this mixture to the boil.

Place the lid on the casserole dish, put into the preheated oven and bake for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Remove casserole dish from oven, and take out the bay leaf.

Serve at once with crusty bread.

If including dumplings, add the next steps: add an extra 15 minutes to cooking time.

Approximately 15 minutes before you take the stew out of the oven. (2hrs 45mins cooking)

Sift flour and salt into a large mixing bowl, stir in suet ix and combine.

Make a well in the centre, then pour in the water and mix gently by hand; add extra cold water if needed form a firm dough.

Form 2 cm balls from the dough,.

Remove the stew from the oven at 3 hours cooking time, and place it on the stove top on a low heat. 

Drop the prepared dumplings onto the surface of the bubbling stew.

Place the lid back onto the casserole dish and simmer for 10 minutes. Dumplings should be light and fluffy.

Turn off the heat and leave the casserole dish covered for a further 5 minutes.

Serve at once.