Beef stew and dumplings with Vichy carrots

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

2. 2

   For the beef stew, heat the oil and butter in an ovenproof casserole and fry the beef until browned on all sides.

3. 3

   Sprinkle over the flour and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and shallots and fry for 1-2 minutes.

4. 4

   Stir in the wine, stock and herbs, then add the Worcestershire sauce to taste. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

5. 5

   Cover with a lid, transfer to the oven and cook for about two hours, or until the meat is tender.

6. 6

   For the dumplings, sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Add the suet and enough water to form a thick dough. With floured hands, roll spoonfuls of the dough into small balls.

7. 7

   After two hours, remove the lid from the stew and place the dumpling balls on top of the stew. Cover, return to the oven and cook for a further 20 minutes, or until the dumplings have swollen and are tender. (If you prefer your dumplings with a golden top, leave the lid off when returning to the oven.)

8. 8

   For the Vichy carrots, place the carrots, butter, sugar and four tablespoons of water into a pan and bring to a simmer.

9. 9

   Cover with a lid or cartouche (a circle of greaseproof paper arranged so that it covers the top of the carrots) and cook gently for 4-5 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. Season with salt and black pepper.

10. 10

    To serve, place a spoonful of the stew onto a plate and place one whole carrot and a dumpling next to it.

1 serving ≈ 338 g

Nutrition values are estimates. - means data is unavailable.