Casserole Beef With Carrots and Dumplings

A community recipe by Glitters

Not tested or verified by Nigella.com

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Introduction

The recipe comes courtesy of "Home Cook" by Alastair Hendy, former Sunday Times cook.

Ingredients

Serves: 4

Metric Cups

750 grams braising steak (cut into 4cm chunks)
oil (beef dripping or lard)
4 large carrots (cut into thick wedges)
1 stick celery
6 shallots (or pickling onions)
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
3 sprigs fresh thyme (finely chopped)
250 millilitres red wine
2 tablespoons plain flour
500 millilitres beef stock (or chicken stock)
1 small onion (finely chopped)
4 rashers bacon (finely chopped)
60 grams breadcrumbs
100 grams self-raising flour
60 grams suet

26½ ounces chuck steak (cut into 4cm chunks)
oil (beef dripping or lard)
4 large carrots (cut into thick wedges)
1 stick celery
6 shallots (or pickling onions)
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
3 sprigs fresh thyme (finely chopped)
9 fluid ounces red wine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
18 fluid ounces beef broth (or chicken stock)
1 small onion (finely chopped)
4 rashers bacon (finely chopped)
2⅛ ounces breadcrumbs
3½ ounces self-rising flour
2⅛ ounces coarsely grated vegetable shortening (freeze overnight to make it easier to grate)

Method

Casserole Beef With Carrots and Dumplings is a community recipe submitted by Glitters and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

Preheat oven to 180/Gas Mark 4.

Fry the beef all over in some fat and seasoning in a casserole until browned on all sides, and then keep on one side. Add a touch more fat to the pan and gently fry the carrot and celery for about 5 minutes, then keep on one side.

Tumble the onions, garlic, and two-thirds of the thyme into the pan, then pour in the wine and bubble until reduced right down. Sprinkle over the flour and stir through, then tip the meat back in and ease it down to the bottom of the pan with the onions jumbled around and filling any gaps.

Turn up the heat again, pour in the stock and season well, then cover. Slip into the preheated oven and leave to slow-braise for 1 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the dumplings. Fry the onion and bacon in a knob of fat with the remaining chopped thyme and some salt until just softened.

Mix with the breadcrumbs, flour, suet and some seasoning, then bind the mixture with a little water to make a dough. Roll into walnut sized balls and leave on one side until ready to cook.

After the meat has done its time, stir in the carrots and celery and then place the dumplings all over the top of the casserole.

Cover and cook for a further 40 minutes, occasionally ladling over some of the juices. If it looks a bit dry, add a dash more water

Preheat oven to 180/Gas Mark 4.

Turn up the heat again, pour in the stock and season well, then cover. Slip into the preheated oven and leave to slow-braise for 1 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the dumplings. Fry the onion and bacon in a knob of fat with the remaining chopped thyme and some salt until just softened.

Mix with the breadcrumbs, flour, coarsely grated vegetable shortening (freeze overnight to make it easier to grate) and some seasoning, then bind the mixture with a little water to make a dough. Roll into walnut sized balls and leave on one side until ready to cook.

After the meat has done its time, stir in the carrots and celery and then place the dumplings all over the top of the casserole.

Cover and cook for a further 40 minutes, occasionally ladling over some of the juices. If it looks a bit dry, add a dash more water